New moong crop starts arriving in Karnataka

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Arrivals of the new moong crop have started in the markets of North Karnataka such as Gadag and Bagalkot as farmers in the region have begun the harvest of the kharif 2024 crop.

Trade sources said due to the cloudy weather and intermittent rains, the moisture content of the new crop is high at over 20 per cent. This is influencing prices, which are hovering between ₹6,000 and ₹8,000 per quintal, they added.

The Centre announced a minimum support price of ₹8,682 per quintal for moong for the 2024-25 kharif crop marketing season — an increase of 1.4 per cent over the previous year.

“The moong crop is good this year. So far, there have been no reports of any crop damage due to excess rains or pest attacks. We hear that the area is also on the higher side this year and that the yields are expected to be better on timely rains,” said a miller in Gadag. Farmers in the region are waiting for the skies to clear and some sunshine for the crop to be better.

228% rise in area

Trade sources said the demand for dry moong is good and the modal price (the rate at which most trades take place) in markets like Kalaburgi on Thursday was ₹8,200 per quintal and ₹8,396 per quintal in Bagalkot.

In Karnataka, farmers have planted moong on about 4 lakh hectares, per the July 19, 2024 data. This is an increase of some 228 per cent over 1.22 lakh hectares (lh) a year ago. Drought across major parts of the key growing regions in North Karnataka impacted the acreage last year. As of July 19, moong was sown on 25.11 lh (22.76 lh). In Rajasthan, the largest kharif moong producing State, per the latest data from the State agriculture department, moong acreage, as on July 29 ,have increased marginally to 21.62 lh (21.37 lh).

According to India Pulses and Grains Association, summer moong in Madhya Pradesh is in the range of ₹7,000-8,200 in various markets, while in Gujarat it is in the range of ₹7,500-8,525 a quintal. In Uttar Pradesh, the summer moong prices are ranging between ₹7,200 and ₹7,700 per quintal.