Key facts
- The National Cooperative Consumer Federation (NCCF) has paused tenders to sell tur pulses.
- The All India Dal Millers Association requested the delay due to concerns about El Nino's impact on production.
- The association wants the government to wait two months before selling its stock.
- High government stocks of pulses are intended to control inflation and ensure raw material supply.
- Government data indicates pulse stocks are at their highest in three years.
The National Cooperative Consumer Federation (NCCF), a central government agency, has suspended tenders for selling tur pulses procured in the Kharif 2025 season. This decision follows a request from the All India Dal Millers Association, which asked for a two-month delay.
The dal millers are concerned that the El Nino weather pattern could negatively impact the production of kharif pulses like tur, moong, and urad due to potentially lower-than-normal rainfall. They believe that holding onto government stocks will be crucial for controlling prices if production declines.
Suresh Agarwal, chairman of the All India Dal Millers' Association, stated that offloading stocks now could make it challenging for large private companies to control prices. He emphasized that government stocks are vital for easing inflationary pressures, curbing speculative price increases, and ensuring a consistent supply of raw materials for the processing industry.
Recent government data indicates that pulse stocks are at approximately 43 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) as of May 2026, representing the highest level in three years and more than double the stocks from May 2024 and May 2025. The procurement figures show 5.34 LMT of tur and 20.35 LMT of chana.