Government Agencies Hold a Stock of 26.90 Lakh Tonnes of Pulses
05-May-2026 08:25 PM
New Delhi. With the objective of maintaining a smooth supply and availability situation within the domestic market—and to curb potential spikes in prices—the Central Government maintains a buffer stock of pulses. A target of 28 lakh tonnes has been set for the availability (inventory) of pulses in this buffer stock; currently, however, the actual quantity held in this reserve stands at approximately 26.90 lakh tonnes. Government procurement of the two major Rabi-season pulses—Chana (gram) and Masur (lentil)—is currently underway. The responsibility for procuring these pulses has been entrusted to two central agencies: the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) and the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India (NCCF).
The total buffer stock of pulses held by government agencies comprises 11 lakh tonnes of Chana, 7.50 lakh tonnes of Tur (Arhar), 4 lakh tonnes of Moong, 3.60 lakh tonnes of Masur, and 33,402 tonnes of Urad. Government procurement of Chana is currently ongoing in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, as market prices in most *mandis* (wholesale markets) have dropped significantly below the Minimum Support Price (MSP). This stock of pulses has been built up through a combination of domestic procurement and imports from abroad.
To facilitate the offloading of pulses from the buffer stock, the Central Government last month urged state governments to source their requirements for welfare schemes directly from the central buffer stock, rather than purchasing Tur, Chana, Moong, and Masur from the open market. This approach ensures that states receive high-quality produce at reasonable prices. While states are typically required to navigate complex tender processes to procure pulses from the open market, they can purchase them directly and seamlessly from the buffer stock.
Currently, wholesale market prices for pulses are trading below the Minimum Support Price (MSP), whereas government procurement has been conducted at the support price. If the government offers to supply pulses to the states at prevailing open-market prices, it will incur a financial loss; conversely, if it offers to supply them at the support price—or at a rate higher than that—the states will show little interest in purchasing them, as pulses are available at lower rates in the open market.