March 22: Except wheat and rice, all top-traded grains, including green gram (moong whole) and tur dal (arhar), in the Delhi market have shown a downward price trend in both the wholesale and retail segments during 1997-98 as compared with 1996-97, according to the Delhi Grain Merchants Association member and Indebo Overseas Director Ajay Kumar Gupta.Wheat and rice could maintain their levels because their trading is generally administered through government agencies, says Gupta.
For instance, different superfine branded basmati rice varieties have been ruling around Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,000 per quintal for the past two years. Same is the case with raw and parboiled rice varieties (PR 106) which have been ruling around Rs 800 to Rs 1,200 per quintal for about two years now.
If one compares a top-traded grain, one can notice that there has been a downswing of as much as Rs 200 per quintal in tur dal (arhar) which fetched Rs 1,600 per quintal in 1997-98 as compared with Rs 1,800 per quintal during 1996-97.Similarly, all other top-traded grains like green gram (moong whole), black gram (urad whole), horse gram (chana) and lentils (masoor) have lost by Rs 100 per quintal each in 1997-98 as compared with 1996-97.
Gupta says erratic weather conditions--untimely rains in December 1997 and in March 1998--have affected crops and the market situation considerably. Delhi traders have been awaiting new stock arrivals of grain and, if sufficient stocks are available, the volume of trade will increase and there can be an improvement in the price situation as well, he says.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
