Canada dispute is unlikely to have any effect on lentil stock

19-Oct-2024 04:30 PM

New Delhi. Senior official sources say that the growing diplomatic dispute and tension between India and Canada will not have any significant effect on the supply and availability of lentils.

Although Canada is the main supplier of lentils to India, there is no threat to the supply and availability of lentils within India in the near future.

The government has a huge stock of more than 8 lakh tonnes of lentils and its domestic market price is also almost stable. In view of this, no immediate problem or threat is visible.

Now lentil dal is also being included in the products of Bharat brand, which will be sold at a discounted price. According to official sources, the sale of lentil dal will continue in the retail market. During the last five months, the average price of lentil dal was recorded at around Rs 90 per quintal.

Amidst the increasing distance from Canada, Indian importers are now turning towards Australia where the harvesting and preparation of the new lentil crop is likely to gain momentum soon.

Indian buyers are reluctant to enter into import contracts of lentils for delivery to distant positions with Canada as they see a risk in it.

Meanwhile, the lentil sowing season has begun in the domestic market. It is a matter of time that after gram, lentil is the second most important pulse crop of the Rabi season.

Its sowing may increase somewhat. Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are its top three producing states.

The picture of the total production of lentils in Australia is not yet clear, but broadly, its production there is estimated to be less than last year.