Quality Gap and Limited Supply Drive Current Moong Market Dynamics
This year, due to the higher arrival of lower-quality moong, the quality gap became significant. As a result, the market could not rise much. Prices increased slightly at times but immediately fell back. However, at the current price levels, there is no major risk, and trade is expected to remain profitable in the future. It is notable that moong arrives at different times in different states, and its crop comes in both the Kharif and Rabi seasons. This year, the summer moong crop from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand was relatively lower. Therefore, when the Kharif crop from Rajasthan and Maharashtra arrived, the Rabi-season stock from these states had nearly been exhausted. At present, about 90% of Rajasthan’s moong has arrived and is being sold. Depending on the quality, it is selling between ₹5,000 and ₹6,700 per quintal. There is no new crop expected soon; the next Rabi-season harvest will arrive only after March. Pressure in the markets has also reduced. Additionally, the government has purchased some quantity of moong in regions such as Shekhawati, Kishangarh, Kankri, Merta, Barmer, Nagaur, Dausa, and Didwana at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of ₹8,768 per quintal. Reports suggest that procurement is still ongoing in some places. The MSP was increased by ₹186 this year to ₹8,768 per quintal. Due to this higher MSP, procurement centers have witnessed increased pressure, although government purchases have not matched this demand. Selected-quality moong is selling around ₹7,800–₹8,000 per quintal, while average-quality produce is selling between ₹5,000–₹7,600 per quintal. Despite the circumstances, a large portion of Rajasthan’s moong has been consumed, and even the lower-quality stock has largely been cleared. Considering these conditions, moong trading at current price levels is likely to be profitable moving forward. The next crop is still far away, and weather conditions across states remain unpredictable. Therefore, trade at present prices is advisable.