BENGALURU: This Obattu during Ugadi is set to get sweeter. Tur dal prices, which have been steadily falling since October last year, have touched a historic low this week. Good quality dal has gone down by 57% to 61% (depending on the brand) in the wholesale market when compared to the price six months ago, say traders. The price of Channa dal too has slid to some extent.
The excellent rains last year when the sowing was done for these crops has resulted in a bountiful yield, say those in the profession. Retailers will have to pass on the benefit to the consumer due to the market dynamics, they add.
Sanjay Bhasin, proprietor of Suraj Dev Traders at APMC market in Yeswanthpur, one of the biggest and oldest Tur dal dealers in the State, told TNIE, “We are selling good quality Tur presently from Rs 101 for a normal brand to Rs 122 for a top tier brand (like Shivling). We used to sell them earlier from Rs 175 to Rs 200. It is the lowest price since 2023.” The other big plus is that the prices are presently on par with the dal imported from African nations like Mozambique and Zimbabwe or Mynamar which were in demand earlier as they were cheaper than that in India.
Kalaburagi and Raichur in Karnataka, Latur, Akola and Sholapur in Maharashtra, Vasad in Gujarat as well as Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are major Tur dal processing centres in the country, he said. “Due to the good rains, farmers sowed more of the dal last year and they are reaping its benefits now,” he added. Asked how quickly the benefit would be passed to customers by retailers, Bhasin said, “Even if we wholesalers suffer a loss, we do it immediately. Retailers will do it a little slower but they will have to do it.”
Past president of FKCCI and prominent Tur dal merchant, Ramesh Chandra Lahoti said, “Channa dal, a vital ingredient used in cooking delicacies, was selling for Rs 100 to 110 in November and December last year. Today, we are selling it Rs 72 to Rs 85 in Bengaluru. This along with the Tur dal prices slash is an Ugadi gift for all.”