Tur traders propose campaign to promote use of other pulses

Indians’ love for arhar or tur dal is giving traders and the processing industry sleepless nights. Production has not kept pace with demand and the highest selling dal’s wholesale price has shot up about 60%. Tur traders are now telling the government to start a national campaign to educate consumers about eating other pulses like chana, masur, moong and yellow peas which are available in abundance at cheaper rates.

The Indian Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA) has proposed a joint campaign with the Department of Food and Public Distribution to promote consumption of pulses like masur, moong, chana and yellow peas as an alternative to tur.

The tur trade is of the view that reducing demand for tur by influencing a change in consumer preference is essential as not enough tur is being produced in the country to meet the demand.

As per a government estimate, India’s 2022-23 tur production will be 14% lower from the previous year. The industry expects the fall to be more than 20%.

According to data with Agmarknet, the average price of unprocessed tur at the Latur wholesale market in Maharashtra has jumped to Rs 90/kg on Wednesday from Rs 60/kg on the same date a year ago; up 50%. The prices are up by 24% in the last 4 months since the harvest of the new crop began in January.

African Arhar Prices Jump in Forward Trade
The prices of tur in Africa – a major supplier of the commodity to India – have opened 25% higher in forward trade, according to traders. “The quotes for forward trade for African tur are higher by about 25% than the previous year,” said Harsha Rai, vice president (sales), Mayur Global Corporation.