India’s reliance on imported pulses may increase this year due to around 10 per cent decline in tur production in the current kharif harvesting season on pest and worm attack.
Total imports of pulses of all varieties stand between 2.5 – 3.5 million tonnes which constitutes around 15 per cent of overall annual demand. Assocham estimates India’s pulses demand at 21 million tonnes in 2012-13 which may go up to 21.42 million tonnes in 2013-14 and 21.91 million tonnes in 2014-15.
Out of that, however, India’s total pulses production constitutes at around 18 million tonnes of which tur, a premium variety in the entire segment, constitutes 15 per cent. Tur, a kharif grown pulses, is sown with the onset of the monsoon in June for harvesting in October. But, two months delay in the monsoon rainfalls has extended the season proportionately and the tur crop is set for harvesting towards the end of November.
“Ahead of this harvesting season, however, the crop has been damaged due to pest attack in major growing areas. Although, the assessment of the actual loss is yet to be done yet not less than 10 per cent crop must have damaged. Consequently, similarly hit on production cannot be ruled out,” said K C Bharatiya, a veteran in the pulses trade and an ex-president of the Pulses Exporters’ Association.
Popularly known as “pod borer” a common pest which attacks all pulses including tur, urad, gram etc has reported in major producing regions including Gujarat and Maharasthra during the flowering stage of tur. Germinated with the vagaries of nature and climatic condition, “pod borer” affects the crop between 30-50 per cent resulting into a continuous decline in acreage under pulses.
Pradeep Jindal, Director of Jindal Overseas Corporation, a Mumbai-based pulses trader, said, “The deficit from local production can safely bridged through imports as has been in the past. Hence, the pest attack in tur crop is not a cause of worry as of now.”
The Ministry of Agriculture data showed that 99.81 lakh hectare (ha) area has been planted under kharif pulses as on September 21 this year compared to 108.28 lakh ha same period last year. Improved rains towards the end of monsoon season have raised prospects of sowing. Planting beyond this time was a bit late for obtaining any remunerative output.
Tur acreage area was reported a marginal decline of 1.6 per cent this year despite delay in rainfalls at 36.17 lakh ha as compared to 37.53 lakh ha last year.
According to the first advance estimates of 2012-13 season, kharif pulses output is estimated lower by 14.6 per cent at 5.26 million tonnes compared with 6.16 mn tn last year. The Fourth advance estimates of 2011-12 season, however, puts pulses output at pegged at 17.21 million tonnes in 2011-12 compared with 18.24 million tonnes produced in the year 2010-11. While Chana output in 2011-12 is estimated at 7.58 million tonnes, tur is estimated at 2.65 million tones, urad is estimated at 1.83 million tonnes and moong at 1.71 million tonnes.
“Tur price has been down by Rs 200 a quintal in the last two weeks due to excessive availability of imported varieties. The trend is likely to continue in near future as well being a favourable climatic condition for rabi sowing,” Himat Chandra, Partner of Trimurthi International, a Vashi – based pulses dealer said.
Amidst weak festive demand, tur was quoted on Tuesday at Rs 3800 a quintal in Vashi wholesale market while urad was hovering around Rs 3200 a quintal. Now, traders eye sowing of chana and masoor, the 100 per cent rabi crops.
