India plans 1 million tons chana purchase to stabilize prices
India just announced it's planning to buy 1 million tons of chana (chickpeas) to help keep prices stable and build up reserves.
This move, revealed on April 20, 2026, is meant to cushion the impact of a weak monsoon and possible El Nino disruptions.
With chana production up 6.2% in FY26 (2025-26), the government hopes this will support both farmers and shoppers.
Chana dal prices down to ₹83.37/kg
Chana dal prices are down about 4.7% from a year ago (April 2025), now at ₹83.37 per kilogram, good news for anyone who loves their dal or works in FMCG since it means fewer price hikes.
Madhya Pradesh is the largest producer, followed by Maharashtra, with pulses being a big part of our diets (26 to 28 million tons eaten every year!).
Experts like K.J. Ramesh say pulses and oilseeds are vulnerable to erratic rainfall and a graded response is smart to avoid wild price swings if rains get patchy, while Rakesh Arrawatia says building buffer stocks is smart, so this step should help keep things steady for everyone.