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Pulse prices on fire in Chennai after met department forecasts deficit monsoon |
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CHENNAI: There is a sharp increase in the price of pulses this month. Some varieties are even selling for more than 100 per kg. Traders said both wholesale and retail prices are on the rise after speculation about a deficient monsoon affecting pulse production badly this year.
In Chennai, retail prices of urad, tur and moong dal have crossed 100 per kg. Urad is now selling for 109 per kg as against 84 per kg in January. The price of tur dal has also shot up considerably at 103 per kg this month, compared to 74 per kg in January. Moong dal, which was selling for 110 per kg at the start of this year, is relatively constant at 111 per kg this month.
According to the price rates obtained from the Department of Consumer Affairs, urad, tur and moong dal have crossed the 100-mark in other metro cities too. As on June 23, tur dal is costliest in Chennai at 116 per kg and lowest in Kolkata at 105 per kg.
"The meterological department has predicted a deficient monsoon this year. So speculating a fall in production, prices have gone up," president of Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangam, T Vellaiyan, said.
Retailers blamed the central government's strategy to encourage online trade for the spike in the wholesale price rates.
"The present government encourages online trade because they get taxes. But we are getting affected by it," president of Tamil Nadu Grocery Traders Union, S P Soruban, said.
Traders also said the steep increase in price was also due to hoarding of pulses by online traders. They said even importing pulse, which is currently 3 million tones annually, will not bring down the price. "Even if there is an increase in the import of pulses, it won't bring down the price as online traders will still stock the lentils for future sales," Vellaiyan said.
While dal prices are soaring every month, prices of other commodities like sugar and paddy are falling. Sugar prices are dipping due to a global glut, while paddy is cheaper because of a steep drop in export prices.
The fall in global crude oil prices also means Brazil, the largest producer of sugar, will crush more sugarcane to produce sugar than to make ethanol.
Hence, extra sugar, coupled with a weak currency has brought down international prices.
The surplus also means that India cannot export as the supply of the product is currently more than the global demand.
Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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