Despite declining kharif production in pulses, imports have seen a pullback in market prices on rising imports

- The import of Tuwer from Africa and Addad from Myanmar recently increased in the country: 32 to 33 thousand tons of Tuwer landed at Mumbai port.

With the increase in grain production in the country, we have become self-sufficient in the grain sector and now we are exporting wheat and rice instead of importing, but we still have to depend on imports in terms of pulses and edible oils, said the sources of agricultural markets. As the domestic demand of pulses and edible oils is higher than the domestic production, the import of pulses and edible oils has been seen to increase significantly in the country. There were recent indications that the government had initiated serious efforts to increase domestic production of pulses and edible oils to reduce reliance on such imports. However, amid such efforts, there have been reports recently that the production of pulses in the domestic kharif crop this year is feared to be down by around eight percent compared to the previous year. Kharif crops in the country are mainly Tuwer, Udd and Magna crops. In the crop year 2022-23, the crop of Tuvar in the country has decreased from 38 lakh 44 thousand tons to around 34 lakh 70 thousand tons this year. An overall decline of 9 to 10 percent is being seen in the production of Tuvar. In Karnataka, such a crop of Tuvar is about 10 percent, while in Maharashtra, about 22 to 23 percent, the informants are showing the possibility. It has been calculated that the production in Telangana will decrease by 41 to 42 percent. However, it has also been shown that there is a possibility of more Tuvar crop in Madhya Pradesh. Nationwide, farmers have switched to cotton and soybean crops instead of Tuvar and due to this, the area under Tuvar cultivation has decreased to such an extent that the market has heard a discussion.

Meanwhile, urad production is estimated to be around 11 to 12 percent lower. Addad crop is likely to decrease from 17 lakh 40 thousand tons to around 15 lakh 30 thousand tons. The informants are showing the possibility that the production of urad will decrease in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan and such production will increase by 4 to 5 percent in Madhya Pradesh. Due to unseasonal rains in September-October, there have been indications that Tuwer and Addar crops have been hit from a high level in the country. However, a slight increase in the kharif crop of mung bean is predicted. The market experts are showing the possibility of the mung bean crop increasing from 14 lakh 80 thousand tons to 15 lakh 30 thousand tons in the country. The production of mung this year in Rajasthan is expected to be around 9 to 10 percent higher. However, the market informants are also talking about low ripening of new mugs in Maharashtra and Karnataka.

Meanwhile, on the one hand, the government is trying to increase the production of pulses in the country, on the other hand, the market was surprised when the government decided to extend the policy of free-import concession of pulses in the country to March 2023 for Uda and Tuvar. The deadline for zero AIDC in lentin imports has also been extended to March 2023. Meanwhile, the import of Tuvar in the country has decreased by about 20 to 21 percent in the period of 8 months from April to November this year to around 3 lakh 70 to 75 thousand tons which figure was recorded as 4 lakh 70-75 thousand tons in this period last year. Meanwhile, the import of urad in this period has decreased by 38 to 39 percent to 2 lakh 45 to 46 thousand tons, which was 4 lakh 1 to 2 thousand tons in these eight months last year. With rupee depreciating and dollar rising in the currency market, the import cost of pulses imported into the country has also gone up. Meanwhile, market prices of tuber on a month-on-month basis were recently seen falling by 6 to 7 percent. Imports of African tuyeres into the country have increased recently. Recently, 32 to 33 thousand tons of Tuwer from Africa arrived at Mumbai port. The market informants were saying that the government made it mandatory for the traders to post the details of the stock of Tuvar on their portal and it also affected the market price. Urad prices have also decreased by 6 to 7 percent month-on-month. Arda imports from Myanmar increased recently.