Following this, domestic pulses output in the 2007 kharif season is likely to be 12 per cent higher from last year's figures, according to the crop estimates committee's numbers released at the fourth national conference on pulses organised by Agriwatch.
The committee has estimated kharif pulses output at 51.25 lakh tonnes against 45.7 lakh tonnes last year.
Tur output is projected at 23.85 lakh tonnes in kharif 2007 against 20.95 lakh tonnes last year. The production of moong is pegged at 12.3 lakh tonnes compared with 11.1 lakh tonnes, while the urad output is estimated at 9.05 lakh tonnes against 8.15 lakh tonnes last year.
Sowing of pulses has been higher compared with last year, owing to better prices that farmers got last year. The crop condition is good and therefore output should be higher this year.
As on August 3, the area under kharif pulses was 95.19 lakh hectares, up 6.7 per cent over last year's corresponding acreage of 89.20 lakh hectares. Area under moong increased from 22.24 lakh hectares to 27.69 lakh hectares, while that of urad increased from 19.91 lakh hectares to 20.35 lakh hectares, while arhar declined from 31.01 lakh hectares to 30.01 lakh hectares.
The higher output of these crops is likely to impact prices in the coming months. Prices of moong, which are currently ruling at Rs 2,400 a quintal, are likely to touch a low of Rs 2,000 a quintal once arrivals start.
The increased output projected by the trade could help in stabilising prices. In April, the government had decided to import 15 lakh tonnes to stabilise prices in the domestic market and keep inflation under check.
According to the fourth advance estimates released by the government in July, the pulses output in 2006-07 is estimated at around 142.3 lakh tonnes, up 6.2 per cent over 2005-06 final estimates of 133.9 lakh tonnes.
