Rising inflows cap price gains despite selective strength in pulses

India’s pulses market displayed mixed trends in early April, with select commodities trading above Minimum Support Prices (MSP) even as rising arrivals weighed on others, while vegetable prices continued to reflect volatility driven by supply fluctuations.

Among pulses, arhar (tur) remained below its MSP of Rs 8,000, trading at Rs 7,221.28 per quintal on April 6, compared to Rs 7,801.44 on April 5 and Rs 7,520.23 on April 4. Arrivals increased sharply to 2,960.94 metric tonnes on April 6 from 317.21 tonnes a day earlier, indicating supply pressure. Similarly, Bengal gram (chana) traded below its MSP of Rs 5,875 at Rs 5,304.88, with arrivals surging to 17,145.46 tonnes on April 6 from 4,116.17 tonnes on April 5.

In contrast, black gram (urad) traded above MSP levels of Rs 7,800, with prices at Rs 8,386.03 on April 6, following Rs 7,956.15 and Rs 8,506.69 in the previous sessions. Arrivals rose to 489.78 tonnes, supporting firm price trends. Lentil (masur) also remained above its MSP of Rs 7,000, trading at Rs 7,158.84 on April 6, though arrivals increased significantly to 3,569.38 tonnes.

Green gram (moong) showed volatility, trading slightly below its MSP of Rs 8,768 at Rs 8,383.29 on April 6, after a sharp dip to Rs 6,219.00 on April 5 and recovery to Rs 8,000.46 on April 4. Arrivals rose to 767.74 tonnes, reflecting improved market participation.

In the vegetable segment, onion prices remained relatively stable but low at Rs 1,071.69 per quintal on April 6, with arrivals jumping to 25,805.48 tonnes from 4,486.51 tonnes on April 5. Potato prices hovered at Rs 605.59, with arrivals increasing to 29,505.86 tonnes, indicating abundant supply conditions.

Tomato prices showed higher volatility, trading at Rs 1,244.60 on April 6 compared to Rs 1,080.30 on April 5 and Rs 1,311.45 on April 4. Arrivals increased to 5,213.82 tonnes, reflecting fluctuating supply-demand dynamics.

Overall, the data highlights a supply-driven market across pulses and vegetables, with rising arrivals exerting downward pressure on several commodities. While select pulses such as urad and masur remain above MSP levels, others continue to lag, underscoring uneven price realisation. In vegetables, high arrivals are keeping prices under check, even as short-term fluctuations persist across key crops.