WHOLESALE PRICE VARIABILITY OF RAW AND PROCESSED PULSES - A CASE STUDY

A case study was undertaken for Kanpur mandi during 2006-2007 to ascertain the extent of wholesale price fluctuation of various types of raw and processed pulses. Inter-seasonal price variations in wholesale market were analyzed. The results showed maximum price variability in chickpea (14.49%) followed by fieldpea (12.49%) and mungbean (8.56%). Further, the seasonal pattern depicted that the prices of rabi pulses fall during March- June due to arrival of fresh stocks following crop harvest. To the contrary, the price of kharif pulses collapse during July-August and improve during December-January. Similar to raw pulses, the wholesale price variability of processed pulses as dal was at its highest in chickpea (14.36%), followed by fieldpea (12.12%) and mungbean (8.46%). The price of raw pulses and dal almost goes together as these were positively correlated in case of pigeonpea, lentil and fieldpea except for mungbean. The average market price was the higher for urdbean and mungbean followed chickpea, pigeonpea, lentil and fieldpea.  It was also found that average price difference between raw pulses and processed dal was 27.15%, ranging 10.24 to 41.66%. The average price (/kg) differences among various dal grades were the highest in pigeonpea (7.28%), followed by urdbean, mungbean and lentil 4.65, 4.44 and 0.17%, respectively. The study revealed maximum price variability in chickpea, followed by fieldpea and mungbean for both raw and processed pulses.  Considerable price difference was also observed between raw and processed pulses as well as among dal grades.