Industry experts attribute this recent rally to aggressive government procurement (absorbing 16% of total production) and lower imports of chana and yellow peas due to negative parity. Traders expect prices to remain firm, driven by increased chana and besan consumption during the upcoming monsoon and festival seasons.
“Prices of most pulses are stable or below MSP. However, the prices of chana have surged in recent weeks due to large-scale government procurement, which has removed about 21 lakh tonnes of chana from the market,” said Bimal Kothari, president, Indian Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA).
The foodgrain production is estimated at 376.6 million tonnes in 2025-26, an increase of 5.2% over 2024-25. The total pulses production in 2025-26 is at a record 274.09 lakh tonnes, an increase of 6.7% over the previous year, while chana production rose significantly by 12.6% to 125.14 lakh tonnes from 111 lakh tonnes, government estimates show.
However, the actual production is expected to be much lower than the estimates. “If chana production had been higher, we could have seen an increase in arrivals in the market, especially after prices increased,” said Satish Upadhyay, honorary treasurer, IPGA.