Fall in price of pulses to reflect in retail market soon: Govt

New Delhi: Wholesale prices of pulses are gradually falling and its impact will be reflected soon in retail markets as hoarders can not hold the stock for long with arrival of new crop from next month, Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said Thursday.

At present, the retail price of most pulses are still ruling high across the country even as the wholesale prices have started showing a declining trend.

As per the government data, tur dal is available at Rs 170/kg, urad at Rs 175/kg, moong at Rs 130/kg, gram at Rs 120/kg and masoor dal at Rs 115/kg in retail markets today.

"Prices of some pulses, especially moong, are showing a declining trend in wholesale markets. Its impact on retail markets will be reflected soon," Paswan told reporters on the sidelines of a Ficci event.

The retail price of pulses will also drop once hoarders start offloading their stock and with arrival of new crop from next month, he said.

"Hoarders cannot keep their stock for long. We will have sufficient supply as we are expecting a bumper crop and we have also tied up with many countries for imports," he said.

Buoyed by higher minimum support price (MSP), farmers have grown pulses in more area this year and good monsoon has boosted prospects of bumper harvest of lentils, he added.

With sharp fall in wholesale rate of moong (green gram) in some parts of the country, Paswan said farmers have demanded the government for procurement of lentils at the MSP.

Yesterday, an inter-ministerial committee chaired by Consumer Affairs Secretary Hem Pandey directed the agencies Nafed, FCI and SFAC -- to gear up for procurement of pulses at the MSP plus bonus, and prepare a state-wise roap map.

To begin with, the agencies have been told to procure moong from Karnataka and Rajasthan, where the arrival of new crop in small quantities has begun.

The government is expecting pulses production to be at 20 million tonnes in the 2016-17 crop year (July-June), much higher than 16.47 million tonnes last year.