News Capsule: Pick-up in arrivals, weak demand weigh on chana prices; early MSP procurement seen crucial
17-Feb-2026 09:40 AM
News Capsule: Pick-up in arrivals, weak demand weigh on chana prices; early MSP procurement seen crucial
★ Chana prices remain under pressure due to a steady rise in market arrivals and subdued demand. Over the past few weeks, prices have been trending lower across major producing states.
★ In key mandis of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat, chana is currently trading below the Minimum Support Price (MSP). Production during the current rabi season is estimated at around 9–9.5 million tonnes, adding to supply-side pressure.
★ Prices have declined by about 10–15% over the past 15 days as arrivals increased while demand remained weak. The government has not yet begun procurement at MSP, which has further weighed on sentiment.
★ For the 2026–27 rabi marketing season, the MSP for chana has been fixed at ₹5,875 per quintal. However, most mandi prices are ruling below this level. In centres such as Latur Annagiri and Lalitpur, prices are trading ₹550–575 below MSP.
★ Import pressure is also contributing to the weakness. About 350,000 tonnes of Australian chana is still lying at Indian ports, with another 3–4 vessels expected to arrive. India has imported close to 1 million tonnes of chickpeas from Australia, with December shipments rising sharply to 590,000 tonnes. Total imports during October–December 2025 stood at 995,000 tonnes.
★ Over the past four weeks, Australia’s desi chickpea price for delivery to India has averaged $531 per tonne, about 3% higher than a month ago. Prices had earlier fallen to as low as $500 per tonne before recovering since the beginning of the year.
★ Given the current price levels and widening gap below MSP, trade circles believe the government should initiate procurement at the earliest to safeguard farmers’ interests and provide stability to the market.