The price of gram started increasing before the festive season
06-Aug-2024 01:53 PM
New Delhi. Even before the formal start of the festive season, the prices of whole gram and gram dal have started increasing in the domestic market.
During the last one month, its price has increased by up to 10 percent. Millers-processors are trying to buy gram well, while the supply and availability is said to be low. Gram dal and gram flour are used in the export of many food items and sweets etc.
According to trade analysts, the price of gram is likely to remain strong in the coming time as well. On the other hand, the price of tur dal has fallen by about 5 percent within the last one month.
According to the top trade organization - India Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA), the price of gram may remain strong in the coming time as well because there will be regular demand for the festive season,
the situation of supply and availability remains complex. Imports from abroad are being limited. The government also does not have a huge stock of it and the stockists are showing less interest in selling their goods.
The import of yellow peas in large quantities is also not proving to be effective in bringing down the prices of gram, as the government had expected. Although duty-free import of gram has already been allowed, but the surplus stock in the major exporting countries is very less.
A professor from Akola says that the huge import of yellow peas could not displace gram. Although the demand and consumption of yellow peas increased, but the demand for gram remained stable. But if the import of Desi gram from Africa and Australia increases by September,
then there will be less possibility of a sharp rise in its domestic market price. Due to the high domestic market price, its import from abroad is getting encouragement,
but due to the strong demand in India, there are indications of extending the deadline for free import beyond 31 October 2024, while NAFED has got approval to release its stock of gram in the domestic market.
Within the last one month, the price of tuvar dal in Akola has fallen by Rs 700 or 4.2 per cent to Rs 15,800 per quintal at the mill level, but it is still 9 per cent higher than last year.