Availability of pulses comfortable with the robust inflow of imports of tur, urad, chana and yellow peas
A delegation led by Maxim Titov, Deputy Minister of the Russian Ministry of Agriculture met Nidhi Khare, Secretary, of the Department of Consumer Affairs and discussed measures to enhance cooperation in the field of trade in pulses. Russia has emerged as a major source of India’s import of Masur (lentils) and yellow peas in the recent past. Apart from these two pulses, Russia is also contemplating diversifying its pulses production to urad (black matpe) and tur (pigeon pea).
A gradual, but significant easing of the supply situation concerning major pulses like tur, urad and chana are observed from July 2024 with encouraging kharif prospect and continuous imports. Tur crop is reported to be good and early harvest of tur crop in pockets of Karnataka have started. The overall availability of pulses has been comfortable with the robust inflow of imports of tur, urad, chana and yellow peas, this year. Tur and urad imports for the calendar year, 2024 at 10 LMT and 6.40 LMT, respectively by the first week of November have already exceeded the whole year import figures during last year. The arrival of chana imports from Australia in bulk cargoes is expected in November. The recent diversification of source countries for pulses played an important role in ensuring continuous inflows at increasingly competitive rates.
Meanwhile, the preliminary reports of rabi sowing for chana, masur, urad and moong indicate that initial delays in some states due to prolonged rains are now recovering the lag in area coverage. Overall sentiment and sowing intention are reported to be upbeat because of good price realisation.