Year: 2017

Prices of chana were down in Delhi and Bikaner due to expectations of a likely rise in the area under the chana crop. A rise in arrivals, coupled with lacklustre demand from stockists also weighed on prices.

Russia supplied 231.6 KMT of chickpeas to foreign markets in the 2016/17 season, or 7.5% more than in the previous marketing year (215.5 KMT was in MY 2015/16). Chickpea exports from Russia slowed down in the beginning of the current 2017/18 season. Russian exporters supplied 39.3 KMT of chickpeas to foreign markets in the first quarter of this marketing year, or 46% less than at the same time a year ago. Russian pulse production has been expanding rapidly since a few years ago. Russia’s 2017 output of pulses is up 27-30% year-on-year.

The area under the chana crop across the country in the ongoing rabi season is likely to rise 35-40% from 9.9 million ha the previous year. Chana acreage so far is more than double the year-ago level. Even if the pace of sowing slows down, area could be 35-40% higher this time. India’s chana output in 2016-17 was 31.7% higher on year at 9.3 million metric tonne. The country’s total pulses output in 2017-18 is expected to be around 22.0 million metric tonne, against 22.95 million metric tonne the previous year. Though there was a shortfall in production of pulses in the kharif season, the rabi crop is likely to compensate for it and the year’s output is likely to match the year-ago level.

Chana contracts on the National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange were volatile due to mixed cues following the government’s move to scrap all restrictions on exports and remain silent on import duty on chana and masur. After the government announced the measure, the December contract of chana on the NCDEX rose but later closed 1.8%.