Despite overflowing buffer stock of pulses, prices continue their skyward trend

Even though the buffer stock of pulses has crossed the 1 lakh tonne mark, there is no let-up in the price of lentils. According to market experts, the prices of pulses will not come down until states start lifting their share from the Centre’s buffer stock, which has reached 1.19 lakh tonne.

Worried over the states’ reluctance, the Centre has decided to again ask stakeholders to lift tur (arhar) and urad dal from the national buffer stock so that the essential item can be sold at  an ‘affordable’ price of Rs 120 per kg. In the retail market, tur dal is being sold at Rs 230 per kg, while prices of other pulses such as masoor, chana, urad are also very high.

Giving details on procurement of pulses, Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said, “Procurement of rabi pulses have reached 68,000 tonne as on June 27, while 51,000 tonne of the kharif crop has already been procured.”

In addition, 14,321 tonne pulses have been imported by government agencies against the total contracted quantity of 46,000 tonne, the minister said. At present the total quantity of pulses available in buffer stock is 1,33,321 MT, which is enough to control the escalating prices of pulses.

Commenting on the issue, grain merchant Ramesh Chandra Lahoti said, “It’s not as simple as it appears. It’s the result of the failure of government intelligence that prices have shot through the roof. By just asking states to lift pulses from buffer stock, wouldn’t help in bringing down prices as the quality of lentils is sub-standard.”

“If government really thinks about protecting the interest of consumers, it should first act against corporate giants, who are ‘regulating’ the prices of lentils by stocking it in foreign destinations. They corner the produce when prices peak to gain maximum profit,” said Lahoti, who heads the Grain Merchants’ Association of Bengaluru.

Retail price of pulses have been rising consistently for over a year. At present, prices are hovering close to Rs 200/kg in view of the shortfall of about 7 million tonnes in domestic output following two years of drought. In some states, urad dal is being sold at Rs 196/kg, which is beyond reach of the common man.

The prices of essential commodities were reviewed during an inter-ministerial meeting, which was chaired by Consumer Affairs Secretary Hem Pande on Tuesday. At the meet, the Centre discussed measures to ensure availability of these commodities at reasonable prices, apart from reviewing lifting and distribution of the pulses allocated from the buffer stock to the states.