Pulses

The pre-budget document for the 2024-25 fiscal has suggested policy reforms to discourage overproduction of cereals while boosting output of pulses and edible oils, which the country currently imports to meet domestic shortages. The Economic Survey 2024-25, tabled in Parliament on Friday, stressed that India's agriculture sector has "significant untapped growth potential" despite various growth initiatives. Farmers must be allowed to receive unimpeded price signals from the market, with separate mechanisms to protect vulnerable households, it added. The document outlined three key policy shifts needed - establishing market mechanisms for price risk hedging, preventing excessive fertiliser use, and discouraging production of water and power-intensive crops that are already in surplus. "These policy shifts will help lift agricultural productivity in the economy by boosting land and labour productivity in the sector," the survey said. Agriculture sector growth averaged 5 per cent ...

The Bharat brand provides kitchen staples at subsidised rates. It was launched as a part of the govt's broader aim to make essential goods more affordable for middle-class consumers

Cheaper yellow pea is being used in besan (gram flour) instead of chana dal, raising concerns over pricing and transparency in the market

The restaurant industry is expected to turn around on the back of India's overall strong fundamentals after facing temporary headwinds such as high food inflation and people dining out less that hurt the sector in the first quarter, according to Speciality Restaurants Ltd CMD Anjanmoy Chatterjee. The company, which has a slew of brands such as Mainland China, Asia Kitchen by Mainland China, Episode One, Haka, and Sweet Bengal, among others and shut 29 outlets during the pandemic, is now focussing on profitable growth while expanding its footprint. "It should be clear that India not eating out or inflation not settling down is something which I don't believe in. India is better than many more countries...," Chatterjee told PTI. He was responding to a query on how long factors such as high food inflation and people dining out less after the diminishing of 'revenge eating' post pandemic that affected the restaurant industry, will continue to impact the sector. "It is a short-term ...

Easing maize supply woes would also benefit user industries like poultry feed, starch, and ethanol

India's import of pulses may decline to 40-45 lakh tonnes this fiscal from 47.38 lakh tonnes in the previous year, as a good monsoon is likely to result in higher domestic production and lower retail prices, industry body IPGA Chairman Bimal Kothari said on Friday. India Pulses & Grains Association (IPGA) also demanded that the government should frame a long-term policy for the Rs 2.5 lakh crore pulses market, as frequent changes in policies hurt the interest of all stakeholders. It also demanded imposition of import duties on yellow peas. "Pulses imports are likely to be 40-45 lakh tonnes this fiscal," Kothari told reporters at 'Bharat Dalhan Seminar 2024' being held here in the national capital. He said the imports would fall because of expectation of better production of pulses in 2024-25 crop year and also higher imports in the previous fiscal. Kothari said the country imported 16 lakh tonnes of masoor dal last fiscal. "We need only 10 lakh tonnes imports of masoor dal". He ..

India's import of pulses rose 90 per cent annually to 47.38 lakh tonnes during 2023-24 to meet domestic demand, the government informed Parliament on Tuesday. "All India production of pulses has increased from 163.23 lakh tonnes during 2015-16 to 244.93 lakh tonnes during 2023-24 (as per 3rd Advance Estimates)," the Minister of State for Agriculture Ram Nath Thakur said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. In 2021-22, import of pulses stood at 26.99 lakh tonnes, while exports were at 3.87 lakh tonnes. During 2022-23, imports of pulses stood at 24.96 lakh tonnes, while exports were 7.62 lakh tonnes. In 2023-24, the imports of pulses were 47.38 lakh tonnes and exports stood at 5.94 lakh tonnes. "During the last ten years i.e. 2014-15 to 2023-24 (as per 3rd Advance Estimates), total pulses and oilseeds production has increased by 43 per cent and 44 per cent, respectively," Thakur said. In reply to a separate question, the minister said the government has substantially enhanced the b

The government on Tuesday pointed out that retail prices of tur, urad and chana dals have not declined in proportion to about a 4 per cent fall in major wholesale markets in the past one month and asked retailers to charge reasonable profit margins for providing relief to consumers. The government warned that it would take stern actions against unscrupulous speculation and profiteering by market players. On Tuesday, the Department of Consumer Affairs organised a meeting with the Retailers Association of India (RAI) here to discuss the price scenario in respect of pulses. The meeting, chaired by Nidhi Khare, Secretary, the Department of Consumer Affairs, also reviewed compliance with the stock limits for tur and chana. The meeting was attended by representatives of RAI, Reliance Retail, D-Mart, Tata Stores, Spencer's, RSPG, and V-Mart, among others. RAI has more than 2,300 members, having over 6,00,000 retail outlets in the country. According to an official statement, the secretary

India imports 15 per cent of its annual pulses consumption owing to a gap between domestic demand and supply, which translates into higher retail prices

Union Budget 2024: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Budget in the Lok Sabha on July 23

The government on Wednesday said urad prices have started to soften in the wholesale markets of Delhi and Indore on the back of its efforts to boost supply and reports of higher sowing in the ongoing Kharif season. The area under coverage for urad has reached 5.37 lakh hectare till July 5 of this ongoing Kharif season compared to 3.67 lakh hectare last year. "The consistent efforts of the Department of Consumer Affairs have resulted in softening of urad prices," an official statement said. The central government's proactive measures have been pivotal in stabilising prices for consumers while ensuring favourable price realisation for farmers, it added. The anticipation of good rainfall is expected to boost the morale of farmers, leading to the production of a good crop in major urad-producing states such as Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra. "As on July 5, 2024, the area sown for Urad has reached 5.37 lakh hectare, as compared to

Area sown to paddy has increased by 19.35 per cent to 59.99 lakh hectare so far in the ongoing 2024-25 kharif (summer) season, the agriculture ministry said on Monday. In the year-ago period, area under paddy was 50.26 lakh hectare. Sowing of paddy, the main kharif crop, begins with the onset of southwest monsoon from June, and harvesting takes place from September. Additionally, area sown to pulses also increased to 36.81 lakh hectare till July 8 of the ongoing season, from 23.78 lakh hectare in the same period last year, the ministry said in a statement. There was a significant rise in coverage of 'arhar', to 20.82 lakh hectare from 4.09 lakh hectare. Area sown to 'urad' was 5.37 lakh hectare as against 3.67 lakh hectare. However, area under coarse cereals and 'Shree Anna' (millets) decreased to 58.48 lakh hectare from 82.08 lakh hectare in the year-ago period. Among coarse cereals, area under maize rose to 41.09 lakh hectare from 30.22 lakh hectare. Area sown to oilseeds inc

A strong kharif output particularly that of pulses and oilseeds is likely to help the government in its fight against inflation

Data reveals that between 2014-15 and 2020-21, despite a 37 percent increase in MSP for paddy, the acreage under the crop decreased only marginally, by around 2.5 percent

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Prices of tur, chana and urad dals are likely to soften from next month helped by expectations of a good monsoon and increased imports, Union Consumers Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare said on Friday, stressing there is no need for panic. Imports of these three pulses will also increase from next month, she said adding this would help augment domestic supply. "Prices of tur, chana and urad dals have been stable in the last six months but at a high level. The price situation in moong and masoor dals is comfortable," Khare told reporters here. On June 13, the average retail price of chana dal was Rs 87.74 per kg, tur (arhar) Rs 160.75 per kg, urad Rs 126.67 per kg, moong Rs 118.9 per kg and masoor Rs 94.34 per kg. The consumer affairs department collects retail prices from 550 major consuming centres. "From July onwards, prices of tur, urad and chana are likely to soften," Khare said. The secretary noted that weather office has forecast normal monsoon rains. "We are expecting good mon

Traders and market players said that going forward, vegetable prices will continue to rule firm as heat wave singes supplies

The move is likely to shield Indian consumers from rising prices, but could discourage local farmers to boost plantings of the crops

India imported 4.65 million metric tons of pulses in the year ended March 31, 2024, the highest since fiscal 2018, and up from 2.53 million tons imported a year ago

Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare on Wednesday directed state governments to step up vigilance on pulses stock, especially imported yellow peas, and enforce weekly stock disclosure on stockholding entities effective April 15 amid reports of some varieties of imported pulses not reaching the market. After a virtual meeting with importers, customs and state officials and other stakeholders in the pulses industry, Khare said pulses stocks in warehouses located in major ports and in industry hubs should be verified from time to time and "strict action should be taken on stockholding entities found to be reporting false information on stock disclosure portal". In the meeting, the secretary told states and Union territories that there is a need to step up vigilance over the stock position and price trends in respect of pulses to prevent hoarding and market manipulation, an official statement said. Apart from the five major pulses -- tur, urad, chana, masur and moong, the state ...