In contrast, the pulses market remains largely anchored by administrative benchmarks, though market prices continue to hover above the floor set by the government. Arhar (Red Gram) and Black Gram (Urd Beans) are seeing significant market traction, with prices reaching up to 12,800.00 Rs./Quintal and 12,080.00 Rs./Quintal respectively—well above their MSPs of 8,000.00 and 7,800.00. Meanwhile, Bengal Gram and Green Gram have maintained a more rigid pricing structure, with the former holding steady at 7,750.00 Rs./Quintal. The arrival data for these essential commodities suggests a controlled inflow, with volumes remaining relatively low and consistent, ranging between 1.00 and 5.00 Metric Tonnes, indicating a reliance on steady, small-batch distributions to meet local demand without saturating the market.
The most volatile segment of the current market report lies within the vegetable category, where the absence of an MSP framework allows for dramatic fluctuations in both price and volume. Onion prices have seen a notable spike, climbing from 2,531.87 Rs./Quintal to 3,405.70 Rs./Quintal, fueled by a massive surge in market arrivals which jumped from roughly 380 Metric Tonnes to over 3,775 Metric Tonnes. Conversely, the potato and tomato markets have remained relatively stable in terms of pricing, with potatoes trading at approximately 3,206.07 Rs./Quintal and tomatoes at 3,216.34 Rs./Quintal. While tomato supply remains consistent at around 306 Metric Tonnes, the slight dip in potato arrivals suggests a tightening of supply that has yet to trigger a significant inflationary response.
These market movements underscore the critical role of Kerala as a high-value consumption hub, where market prices for essential oils and proteins frequently outpace national support benchmarks. The substantial gap between the MSP and market rates for Copra and various pulses highlights an environment where consumer demand and logistical efficiencies, rather than government intervention alone, are the primary drivers of the agricultural economy. As the 2026-27 season progresses, stakeholders will be closely monitoring the vegetable sector’s volatility, as the massive influx of supply in certain commodities like onions could either stabilize the kitchen budget for the average household or signal deeper shifts in regional trade patterns.
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