Government Procurement of Tur (Pigeon Pea) Likely to Fall Significantly Short of Target

16-Mar-2026 03:53 PM

New Delhi: The Central Government has set a national-level procurement target of approximately 2.2 million tonnes of Tur (pigeon pea) for the current Kharif marketing season (October–September) of 2025–26.

This target includes specific quotas of 967,000 tonnes for Karnataka and 337,000 tonnes for Maharashtra. However, due to wholesale market prices in many regions hovering slightly above the Minimum Support Price (MSP), government agencies are experiencing limited success in their procurement efforts.

According to official sources, approximately 180,000 tonnes of Tur have been procured so far during the current marketing season. Given the prevailing circumstances, an additional 200,000 tonnes of procurement is anticipated by the end of the season.

Consequently, total government procurement of Tur for the entire season is expected to reach approximately 380,000 tonnes.

This year, the MSP for Tur has been raised to ₹8,000 per quintal, whereas prices in Maharashtra's Akola market are currently trading between ₹8,150 and ₹8,200 per quintal. Regular imports of Tur from Myanmar and various African nations are continuing, ensuring a healthy supply of the commodity.

It is understood that the government currently holds a carry-over stock of approximately 550,000 tonnes of Tur from previous seasons. Last year, the government had set a procurement target of 1.3 million tonnes of Tur, though actual procurement amounted to just over 600,000 tonnes.

Even if the procurement for the current season reaches 380,000 tonnes, the overall stock position is expected to remain robust.