Tur dal set new record at Rs 205/kg in wholesale

PUNE: With no fear of any government action, Tur dal prices continued to rise hitting a new high of Rs 205/kg in Maharashtra on Friday. It is just a matter a few weeks for it to translate into price of Rs 250/kg in retail, think trade insiders.

The wholesale prices increased from Rs 194/kg to Rs 2015/kg within a day on Friday. Tur dal prices have been rising at the rate of Rs 10/kg every day, although the sale at retail shops have dropped to just about 10% to 15% of the normal sales.

"As against sale of 150 tonne tur dal during this time of the year, we are able to sell just about 10 tonnes a day," said a dal miller, who did not want to be identified.

"Prices are going up because there is no fear in the minds of the traders about any government action," said a trade source requesting anonymity, adding, Pulses have not yet been brought under the Essential Commodities Act, which makes traders fearless about any government action against hording."

The tender of MMTC for processing of the imported dal will close on October 23, which means that the government imported dal will not be available in the markets before Diwali.