‘Prices of pulses may see the highest rise this year’

The common man’s pocket may be hit hard this year due to possibly the highest rise in pulses prices in the market.

The common man’s pocket may be hit hard this year due to possibly the highest rise in pulses prices in the market.

Assocham-secretary-general-DS-Rawat-addresses-the-media-in-Indore-on-Tuesday-Shankar-Mourya-HT

Untimely rains severely affected the Rabi crop of 2.28 MMT and the gap between demand and supply of pulses stand at about 6 MMT during 2015.

A report on a study on “Indian pulses alarm bells on production and prices front” released by Assocham here on Tuesday suggested a bad news for the common man’s kitchen.

Madhya Pradesh is the largest pulses producer in the country followed by Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh which change places depending on the weather and productivity during particular year.

The unseasonal rains have damaged the crop, says the report.

‘Chana’ (gram) is the major rabi pulse crop, which is estimated at 8.28 MMT by government. However, trade estimates place it at 7.5 MMT.

Indicatively trade sources estimate kharif pulses production at 5.3 MMT and rabi pulses at 12.2 MMT which add up to 17.5 MMT for the crop year 2014-15, which is a decline of 2.2 8 MMT over last year.

As per a release the report said as against recommended daily requirement of 50 to 60 grams, current availability of pulses was less than 30 grams per day.

Declining per capita availability of pulses and likely high prices in 2015 was a matter of serious concern on the nutritional security of the nation.