Indian households feel the pinch with rising prices of pulses

Pulses being a staple in many Indian households, they are widely used in making several dishes and are enjoyed to the core

Hyderabad: The sharp decline in the prices of edible oils did bring smiles to the faces of consumers who have been finding it hard to keep up with the rising cost of living. But the relief was short-lived as the prices of pulses have been turning expensive since almost a month.

Pulses being a staple in many Indian households, they are widely used in making several dishes and are enjoyed to the core. Pulses are also rich sources of proteins which makes people spend more on them.

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A couple of months back, the toor dal was sold for Rs 95-110 per kg in the retail market depending on the quality, but now it is being sold at Rs 130 – 150 per kg. The price of masoor dal too soared over Rs 100 per kg, as against Rs 70 per kg, in the last month. Similarly, the price of urad dal (whole) also touched Rs 130 mark.

Consumers who prefer ordering online every month were also surprised to see the price hikes. Online, the toor dal is available at Rs 137-160 per kg, and the organic version of the same is available at Rs 200-250 per kg. The steep hike in prices of pulses, particularly toor dal, has come as a blow to those already reeling under inflationary pressure.

This kind of high pricing, the traders say, is unusual with one of them describing the lower production of pulses this year as the main reason behind the price rise. “Changes in weather conditions and unusual rains, along with many farmers preferring easy-to-grow crops over pulses, have resulted in low production of pulses, pushing supply and demand out of sync,” said a trader.

The talk among traders is the prices of pulses will rise further and toor dal may touch Rs 200 per kg.