Market Dynamics Shift as Mustard and Pulses Surge Above MSP in Assam

The trading floor reports for Mustard and Lentils (Masur) highlight a robust demand that has pushed market rates significantly higher than the MSP. Mustard, currently pegged at an MSP of 5,950.00 per quintal, is trading at a strong 6,300.00, signaling a healthy profit margin for local oilseed growers despite relatively low arrival volumes of 0.40 metric tonnes. Even more striking is the performance of Lentils (Masur), which has seen market prices soar to 9,416.67 per quintal—nearly 40% higher than the MSP of 6,700.00. With arrival volumes for lentils reaching 96.00 metric tonnes and peak prices touching 103.00 metric tonnes in specific intervals, the pulse sector is emerging as a high-value corridor for the state's traders.

Conversely, the data paints a more challenging picture for paddy farmers. Common Paddy is currently entering the market at 2,100.00 per quintal, trailing behind the government’s MSP of 2,369.00. This deficit highlights ongoing challenges in price realization for cereal producers, even as arrival volumes remain thin at 4.00 metric tonnes. Meanwhile, the perishables sector—specifically vegetables like onions, potatoes, and tomatoes—continues to exhibit its characteristic volatility. Potatoes lead the volume charts with a massive arrival of 15,621.50 metric tonnes, though prices have seen a downward trend from 1,586.47 to 1,268.86 per quintal. Tomatoes have shown an inverse trend, with prices climbing to 3,048.33 per quintal as supply tightened to 32.90 metric tonnes, reflecting the sensitive equilibrium between seasonal availability and consumer demand.

These market movements underscore the critical need for a nuanced approach to agricultural logistics and price monitoring in Assam. While the windfall in pulses and mustard provides a significant boost to rural incomes, the sub-MSP trading of paddy suggests that administrative interventions may be necessary to protect the interests of small-scale cereal farmers. As the 2026-27 fiscal year unfolds, the interplay between high-volume arrivals in the vegetable sector and the premium pricing of oilseeds will likely dictate the state’s inflationary trends and the overall economic well-being of its agrarian community.