Weak rains pose a risk to tur crop; imports from Africa may soften prices

Even as tur or arhar rules at historic highs amidst concerns of weak rainfall impacting the crop in key growing areas of Karnataka and Maharashtra, the expectations are that imports from Africa were likely to soften the price of pulse over the next two months.

The domestic stocks are at a low, while the imports from Myanmar have also thinned down on declining inventory levels in the neighbouring country, trade sources said.

Rising prices The wholesale price of tur has exceeded the ₹9,200/quintal levels for both the imported and the local produce, triggering concerns among millers. At the retail level, the prices are hovering between ₹130 and ₹150 a kg across the country.

In the past one month, tur prices have shot up by at least ₹25/kg to ₹100-105 at wholesale market, claimed millers at Vasad, one of the largest processing clusters in Gujarat. Trade sources maintained that domestic supplies had exhausted because of the crop damage last year.

However, the pulses imported from Africa are quoting lower at around ₹7,000/quintal levels. The imports from African nations such as Tanzania and Malawi are likely to increase over the next couple of months with the arrival of new crop.

Import-dependent “We are expecting imports of about two to three lakh tonnes from African countries during the August to October period,” said Bimal Kothari, Vice-Chairman of Indian Pulses and Grains Association.

“Prices of pulses may soften as about eight lakh tonnes of yellow peas is expected to be imported from Canada between September and December,” he added.

“This year, we are mostly dependent on imports from African region as flooding in Burma has affected imports from there. We expect in the next three months, there will be about 3-3.5 lakh tonnes of imports taking place from Africa. This will keep domestic prices up in the range of ₹100-110 a kg till November,” said Mitesh Patel, President, Gujarat Dal Manufacturer’s Association, Vasad.

Fresh arrivals of the kharif tur will begin around November.

Corporates blamed Meanwhile, a section of traders held multinational commodity trader companies responsible for sharp surge in prices as they stocked large quantities.

“MNC players have cornered large quantities of African imports. They command the price and millers have to pay them accordingly to ensure continued supply and keep the business running,” said a leading dal processor from Vasad requesting anonymity.

IGPA’s Kothari said the prospects for kharif pulses crop look good, but a clearer picture would emerge by the end of this month.

“If moong and urad output is good, prices of tur are also likely to come down as the demand is elastic,” he added.

Scanty rains While the acreage under tur has increased this kharif according to the Agriculture Ministry data, the scanty rainfall since July has dampened the prospects in parts of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

The contiguous stretches starting from North Interior Karnataka to Rayalseema and Telangana extending to Marathwada and Madhya Maharashtra, where tur is largely grown, have witnessed deficient rains during monsoon this year.

So far, the seasonal rainfall deficiency stood at a high of 48 per cent in Marathawada, while in North Interior Karnataka it was 45 per cent. Telangana has witnessed a deficient rain of 23 per cent so far, this season.

Basavaraj Ingin, President of Karnataka Tur Growers Association, said the lack of adequate rainfall has hit the sowing of the pulse in Gulbarga region, the tur bowl of South.

Planting affected “Even the crop that was planted early June has been impacted by the dry spell. We can’t do anything now as tur planting season is almost over,” Ingin said, adding that the situation was similar in neighbouring Telengana and Marathwada.

Baburao Patil, a tur grower in Aland taluk of Gulbarga, said due to scanty rainfall, the planted tur saplings have dried up. Patil said that planting of crops such as jowar and sunflower could be taken up over the next couple of weeks, if it rained.

Damodar Gilda, a dal miller in Gulbarga said even if it rains now, the growers still have time till the month end to take up cultivation.