Mumbai, 11 Aug (Commoditiescontrol): As incessant rains in pulses growing region of Maharashtra continued unabated, the prospects for pulses region of India's western state remains bleak, causing surge in prices of Tur and Urad dal. These pulses form important part of India's diatery system, across the country. As there are fears of widespread damange to standing Kharif crop pulses, on which farmers placed bet, are likely to witness massive decline in yields.
Apparently, prices of tur and urad dal have shot up significantly. In Maharashtra’s Latur district Tur dal price rose from Rs 97 to Rs 115 per kg. Urad and tur dal have witnessed an increase of over 15% in their prices in the past six weeks, as waterlogging in fields raise concerns about crop damage. There is already a slight decline in acreage pulses cultivation during the ongoing kharif season.
India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast heavy-to-very heavy rainfall over central India. A low pressure area is hovering over east Madhya Pradesh and neighbouring areas. Due to this, a heavy rainfall activity is likely to continue over Vidharbha, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujrat, Saurashtra and Kutch. Nagpur district has so far recieved excessive rains crossing 1,000 mm mark. The distric is an important pulses growing region.
Heavy rains are expected to cause more harm to the urad crop, however, the supply situation may not come under pressure as imports are expected to increase.
Further, lower carry forward stocks has sent the prices of both the dals soaring. The ex-mill price of good quality tur dal in Latur has risen. The area under tur was 4.6% lower compared with a year earlier, while that under urad was 2% less, according to the latest sowing data released by the agriculture ministry.
Meanwhile, prices of Urad are likely to retreat lower as imports from Myanmar were expected to grow. "India did not get much urad from Myanmar during the last four months due to their currency issues, which reduced the monthly urad imports by more than 50%t," a local dealer said.
Burma trade informed that the currency fluctuation are curtailing trades for now as there is no clarity on trade settlement. As per unconfirmed source the government is working on trade settlement formula. As per the market grapevine, they are looking at 65:35 for price settlement, which means 65% will be settled at 2100 kyat, while for balance 35% is to be settled at as high as 2650 kyat.
Now the currency issue has turned favourable for the exporters from Myanmar, which will help us import more urad from Myanmar.
Also, India and Burma have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, according to which India has agreed to provide an annual quota of 2,50,000 MT of Urad and 1,00,000 MT of Tur of Myanmar origin to be imported through private trade. The import will be carried out over the next five fiscal years, from 2021-22 to 2025-26 (April to March).
While the prices of tur and urad have increased, consumers got a slight relief on prices of masur, which remained high for a year. The price of the imported whole lentil has eased to Rs 67 as on August 8 from Rs 71.50 a kg on June 29.
(By Commoditiescontrol Bureau: +91-22-40015505)