WITH another 2 to 3 months remaining before the new tur crop reaches farmers, prices of the pulse have surged to Rs 9,500 to Rs 10,000 per quintal in Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs) across the Amravati division. However, farmers are unlikely to benefit from the price rise as most of them have already exhausted their old stock, leaving little produce to sell in the market. ‘Tur’ is generally cultivated at the beginning of the kharif season, either as a sole crop or along field boundaries. The crop sown in July usually reaches harvest time between Janu-ary and February of the following year. Early maturing varieties, particularly those cultivated in lighter soils, may be harvested as early as December. Consequently, farmers currently have almost no old stocks while fresh arrivals are still around three months away. The decline in market arrivals has led to a rise in the prices of tur and other pulses in APMCs. In Amravati district, large-scale cultivation of tur as a sole crop is relatively limited, with a substantial portion of the crop being cultivated along field boundaries. Changing weather conditions have increased the incidence of pests and diseases, raising concerns over a possible decline in production. The average area under tur cultivation in the Amravati division is estimated at around 5 to 6 lakh hectares.

 

The five districts of the division account for a significant share of Vidarbha’s total ‘tur’ cultivation area. After soybean and cotton, ‘tur’ is the third major kharif crop in the region. In recent years, attractive market prices have encouraged farmers to increase tur cultivation. Across the Amravati division, the crop is predominantly cultivated as an intercrop with soybean and cotton, particularly through the strip-sowing method.‘Tur’ prices have witnessed a significant upward trend over the past three months. Until August, the average market rate was around Rs 7,000 per quintal. However, forecasts of deficient rainfall and a possible decline in production across the country triggered a sharp rise. Prices reached around Rs 8,000 per quintal in September and averaged Rs 9,300 in October. The average rate has now touched nearly Rs 10,000 per quintal. Market arrivals remained low even before Diwali. On October 6, the Chandur Bazar APMC recorded an arrival of 198 quintals of tur.

 

The crop fetched prices ranging from Rs. 9,500 to Rs.10,000 per quintal, with an average rate of Rs 9,680. Earlier, in June this year, ‘tur’ prices had touched a record level of Rs 11,300 per quintal. For two consecutive years, market prices of ‘tur’ remained above the Minimum Support Price (MSP). In response, the Central Government adopted a liberalised import policy for tur. The resulting increase in imports put pressure on domestic prices. However, with expectations of lower domestic production and reduced market arrivals, prices have once again strengthened. Despite the current rally, the immediate benefit to farmers remains limited, as most have already sold their produce and the next crop is yet to arrive in the market.