Groundnut on an average was sold at ₹5,682/quintal against ₹7,263/quintal MSP
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VENGADESH R
Average mandi (agriculture market yard) prices of key kharif pulses and oilseeds are ruling lower by ₹1,076-1,778 per quintal than their respective minimum support prices (MSPs) of the 2025-26 season, even as arrivals of fresh harvest have started in some areas. If prices remain depressed after supplies increase from mid-October, the government will be under pressure to intervene and buy crops at MSPs under the price support scheme.
Moong (green gram) was sold at average ₹7,220/quintal against its MSP of ₹8,768/quintal, urad (black gram) at ₹6,368/quintal against ₹7,800/quintal MSP and tur (pigeon peas) at₹6,222/quintal against ₹8,000/quintal MSP.
Similarly, groundnut on an average was sold at ₹5,682/quintal against ₹7,263/quintal MSP and soyabean at ₹4,252/quintal against ₹5,328/quintal MSP, according to all India average mandi prices during September 1-18 as collated by Agmarknet portal, an arm of the Agriculture Ministry.
Zero duty imports
The depressed prices of pulses and oilseeds despite lower acreage in many of these crops is definitely a concern, particularly when the government has already launched the National Oilseeds Mission and plans to soon launch the National Pulses Mission, experts said.
Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan recently expressed concern over a fall in the acreage of oilseeds and pulses, but was of the view that farmers take the best decision suitable to them and setting a targeted production or acreage does not mean that it has to be 100 per cent achieved.
“Prices of these commodities were depressed throughout the year, and it is continuing. While the MSPs are not in sync with international prices, allowing import at zero duty or a low level of duty to protect consumers’ interests, encourages buyers to source from outside India to be competitive,” said Vijay Sardana, a techno-legal expert and corporate advisor. Unless these issues are addressed, the below MSP prices may continue, said Sardana, adding that the government has its own limitations in procurement of these commodities.
States’ plea
At the recent Rabi conference, Karnataka’s Agriculture Minister urged Chouhan to start procurement of pulses and oilseeds as Kharif-grown crops have started arriving, and market rates were ruling much below MSPs. Telangana’s Agriculture Minister wanted no quantitative restriction on the purchase of oilseeds and pulses.
Though the government is yet to release the first advance estimates of production of kharif crops for the 2025-26 crop year (July-June), experts have raised fears over a likely drop in production due to lower acreage in tur, moong, moth (a variety similar to green gram) and soybean. Even where there is an increase in area, the crops have been impacted due to heavy rain in some places of Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka.
Agriculture ministry data show that the acreage of tur was 45,000 hectares (ha) lower as on September 12 from the year-ago period, that of moong 32,000 hectares lower, moth 40,000 hectares lower and soyabean 5.81 lakh hectares less. But, the urad area was up by 1.51 lakh hectares and that of groundnut by 34,000 hectares.
Published on September 18, 2025