Gram and Pigeon Pea Prices Drop, Government to Buy at MSP

Key Highlights

• Government agencies will purchase gram and tur dal at MSP to help farmers.

• Current tur dal prices in Maharashtra are below MSP, impacting farmers.

• The government aims to build a 3.5 million-tonne buffer stock.

• Procurement for 2024–25 includes 1.32 MT of tur and 1.11 MT of gram.

• Farmers should monitor mandi prices before selling their crops.

The prices of gram (chana) and pigeon pea (tur dal) have fallen below the Minimum Support Price (MSP) in the market. To protect farmers from losses, the central government has decided to purchase these pulses at MSP. This move will benefit lakhs of farmers by ensuring they do not have to sell their crops at low prices.

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Government to Purchase Maximum Stock at MSP

The government will buy the maximum possible quantity of gram and tur dal at MSP. NAFED (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation) and NCCF (National Cooperative Consumer Federation) are working to provide better prices to farmers and strengthen buffer stock. For the last two years, pulse prices were above MSP, but now they have dropped below it. To support farmers, the government has decided to increase procurement at MSP.

Current Market Prices of Pigeon Pea

At present, tur dal prices in Maharashtra's major mandis are as follows:

• Shevgaon (Bodhegaon), Ahmednagar – Rs 7,000 per quintal

• Murtijapur, Akola – Rs 7,200 per quintal

• Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Mandi – Rs 6,950 per quintal

• Wardha Mandi – Rs 7,180 per quintal

• Shevgaon Mandi, Ahmednagar – Rs 6,950 per quintal

• Mehkar Mandi, Buldhana – Rs 7,040 per quintal

• Chandrapur Mandi – Rs 7,010 per quintal

• Gangapur Mandi, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar – Rs 6,900 per quintal

• Nagpur Market – Rs 7,252 per quintal

• Barshi (Vairag), Solapur – Rs 7,150 per quintal

The government has set the MSP of tur dal at Rs 7,550 per quintal for this year. However, current prices are lower than last year's Rs 10,525 per quintal.

Need for Buffer Stock

To control price fluctuations, the government aims to maintain a buffer stock of 3.5 million tonnes (MT) of pulses. Currently, government agencies have only 1.36 MT, mainly consisting of moong (0.75 MT) and masoor (0.53 MT). So far, 81,000 tonnes of tur dal have been procured under the Price Support Scheme (PSS).

Government Procurement Plan for 2024–25

For the 2024–25 season, the Agriculture Ministry has approved the purchase of 1.32 MT of tur dal under PSS. In previous years, procurement was low due to high market prices. In 2023–24, total procurement of tur, moong, urad, masoor, and gram under PSS was only 0.69 MT, compared to 2.83 MT in 2022–23.

Gram Procurement for 2025–26 Rabi Season

For the upcoming 2025–26 Rabi season, the government has approved the purchase of 1.11 MT of gram at MSP from different states:

• Madhya Pradesh – 0.72 MT

• Uttar Pradesh – 0.19 MT

• Karnataka – 96,498 tonnes

• Chhattisgarh – 52,738 tonnes

• Telangana – 37,083 tonnes

Additionally, 0.94 MT of lentils, 1,548 tonnes of moong, and 65,450 tonnes of urad will also be purchased.

Farmer’s Advisory

Farmers should check mandi prices before selling their crops, as rates fluctuate daily. While tur dal prices are below MSP in Maharashtra, they are higher in states like Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, and Manipur. The price also depends on quality, with higher-quality pulses fetching better prices. Farmers are advised to stay informed and sell their produce at the right time for maximum profit.

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CMV360 Says

The government's decision to purchase gram and tur dal at MSP will help stabilize prices and support farmers. With falling market rates, timely procurement is crucial. Farmers should stay updated on mandi prices and sell accordingly. A strong buffer stock will also help in controlling price fluctuations and ensuring market stability in the future.