Tur dal touches Rs 200/kg in wholesale, may stay pricey till Diwali

PUNE: Ex-mill and wholesale prices of tur dal increased further by about 18% in a week in Maharashtra, the key state for pulse-sowing and trade, from Rs 167/kg for the best variety to Rs 194/kg on October 14.

Though the government hopes that imports will help to cool down the prices like in case of onions, trade experts think this not feasible, as the shortages are huge, government imports are meagre and local crop will come only in December, keeping tur dal prices exorbitantly high till Diwali.

The mill level tur dal prices rose from Rs 167/kg on October 7 to Rs 194/kg for desi Indian grown tur,on October 14 in Latur, one of the important trading centres for pulses in the country, rise of about 18%.

The desi tur is expensive than the imported African tur by about Rs 20/kg to Rs 30/kg in wholesale. With this, the wholesale prices in Maharashtra have crossed Rs 190/kg, which will translate into retail prices of Rs 200/kg to Rs 220/kg in a few days. In fact, trade sources also think that prices can also touch Rs 250/kg by Diwali if the government intervention is not effective.

The shortage is so high that the mills are running at about just 25% of their capacity. Government has imported about 5,000 tonne dal and another 2000 tonne is on the way. "The gap is of 2 million tonne dal. As against this, import of a few thousand tonnes is negligible," said a miller, who did not wish to be quoted.

The Indian local tur crop will come on by December, while the industry expects the production to fall due to the deficient rains in the growing regions. Though the central government has asked the states to include dals in the essential commodities act, very few states have done so.