Amid suspicions of hoarding and supply manipulation of critical pulses like tur (pigeon pea) and urad (black matpe) in Myanmar, India has issued a stern warning to the exporters. If the current scarcity persists, India may bypass private trade, opting instead for government-to-government (G2G) transactions.
This development comes in response to the price surge in recent months, caused by exporters allegedly capitalizing on India’s scarcity. The situation was confirmed by trade insiders present at a virtual meeting held by Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh on Wednesday.
Bimal Kothari, President of India Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA), disclosed, “The government has warned Myanmar exporters about a possible ban on private trade if they continue exploiting the scarcity. The Consumer Affairs Secretary has issued a friendly warning.” He added that Myanmar’s trade association president denied any hoarding activity and promised to increase supplies.
In response to the tur shortage, the IPGA has proposed measures to the government, such as promoting alternate pulses like chana dal and masur dal. These pulses are plentiful and available at minimum support prices. Kothari also suggested that tur be replaced with these alternatives in government tenders for various schemes, given their abundant supply, affordability, and protein content.
The Indian government has made strides to ensure adequate supplies of these pulses through imports, thereby controlling prices. The imports of tur and urad are scheduled to remain open till March 2024, to compensate for the domestic shortfall due to unpredictable weather patterns.
Rahul Chauhan of IGrain India revealed the prices of tur have been rising in Myanmar, mirroring domestic trends. For instance, tur lemon’s price has jumped from $835 per tonne in March 2022 to $1,080. Additionally, African exporters have increased their quotes by $50 for the upcoming crop.
The latest advance estimate revealed a significant drop in tur production to 36.66 lakh tonnes in the 2022-23 crop year, down from 42.20 lakh tonnes the previous year. The output of urad has also decreased due to excessive rains. This escalating crisis underscores the urgency for immediate action to secure India’s pulse supply.
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