From the past one month poor demand for pulses has restrained the prices from moving up. “The prices of various pulses like Tur Dal, Moong Mogar, Chana Dal, Urad Mogar and other varieties have remained range bound during the past month due to lower demand from consumers,” said Prabhakar Deshmukh, President of Nagpur Chillar Kirana Vyapari Sangh while speaking with The Hitavada.

 

The reason for pulses prices remaining range bound could be due to Government imposing night curfew and restrictions on opening of hotels, restaurants, ban on large gatherings, events, programmes and celebrations.

Also, by not allowing more than 50 people to attend marriages has reducted the demand for pulses in the market. He said that once the Government lifts the restrictions on hotels, restaurants, and the number of people allowed to attend marriages the pulses prices would start to rise.

 

Besides this, the production of various pulses was lower by 20 per cent to 40 per cent this year due to unfavourable climatic conditions. “Last year, Tur Dal was quoted as high as Rs 12,000 per quintal in the wholesale market,” he added.

 

He expected the present situation to be temporary and with passage of time, the demand for pulses would multiply.

In the wholesale market the prices of pulses are being quoted as follows: Tur Dal at Rs 9,500 per quintal to Rs 10,000 per quintal, Moong Mogar at Rs 8,900 per quintal to Rs 9,400 per quintal, Moong Chilka at Rs 8,400 per quintal to Rs 9,200 per quintal, Masoor Dal at Rs 6,400 per quintal to Rs 7,200 per quintal, Chana Dal at Rs 59 per quintal to Rs 66 per quintal, Urad Mogar at Rs 9,200 to Rs 10,600 per quintal and Urad at Rs 8,900 per quintal to Rs 9,400 per quintal, depending on the quality, he said.

 

Accordingly, the new produce of wheat has arrived in the wholesale market. But, the recent rains has damaged a large portion of the new produce.

This has resulted in price disparity of Rs 900 per quintal between the new produce and old produce of MP Bot Sarbati super quality wheat.

 

The old produce of MP Bot Sarbati super quality is being quoted at Rs 3,500 per quintal compared to new produce at Rs 4,000 per quintal to Rs 4,400 per quintal. In the wholesale market, the new produce of MP Bot medium quality is being quoted at Rs 2,600 per quintal to Rs 3,000 per quintal, Lokwan at Rs 2,000 per quintal to Rs 2,200 per quintal and smaller variety Tukkdi at Rs 2,100 per quintal to Rs 2,400 per quintal, he said.

 

Similarly, the new local rice has arrived in the wholesale market. But, due to unfavourable climate conditions has dropped the production by 20 per cent to 40 per cent as compared to the year ago period. The local rice varieties like Jai Shri Ram, HMT, Swarna and Kanki arrive from Bhramapuri, Gondia, Bhandara, Mule and other near by areas.

Basmati rice on the other hand arrives from Dehradun, Delhi and some parts of north India.

 

In the wholesale market, the rice prices are given as follows: Jai Shri Ram at Rs 3,800 per quintal to Rs 4,800 per quintal, HMT at Rs 3,600 per quintal to Rs 4,200 per quintal, Swarna at Rs 2,300 per quintal to Rs 2,600 per quintal and Kanki at Rs 2,100 per quintal to Rs 2,600 per quintal, depending on the quality.

 

He said that large quantities of Jai Shri Ram rice variety is despatched to south Indian states like Kerala. Indian varities like Basmati and Jai Shri Ram are in great demand and exported to Middle East countries.