Black gram price going bumpy ride, pigeon price cools

The prices of black gram (Fair Average Quality/RC) fluctuated above and below K1.8 million per tonne in October, while the pigeon peas (red gram) price remained unchanged at over K1.95 billion per tonne, the market data showed.
The FOB prices of black gram hit the hithes of US$780-810 per tonne for FAQ and $930-950 for Special Quality in October, whereas the pigeon peas (red gram) peaked at $835-855. The lowest prices of beans were $750-770 for FAQ, $890-910 for SQ, and $815-835 for pigeon peas (red gram) in October. The black fram and pigeon pea output in India is expected to drop this year after the torrential rain adversely affected the black gram and pigeon pea plantations. Therefore, the consumption requirement is still high.
On 31 October, the prices stood at K1,730,000 per tonne of black gram (FAQ), K2,053,000 per tonne of black gram (SQ) and K1,975,000 per tonne of red gram/RC. The FOB prices were $750-770 for black gram FAQ and $890-910 for black gram SQ and $835-855 for pigeon pea/RC.
The highest price of black gram FAQ was K2.1 million per tonne in the past three months (August-October), whereas it plunged to the lowest of K1,640,000 per tonne on 3 August. In October, the prices of black gram stayed above K1.8 million only for 11 days and they were recorded under K1.8 million per tical on other 13 days.
In the past three months, the pigeon peas price climbed to K2,175,000 per tonne on 19 September and plummeted to K1,567,500 per tonne on 3 August. Despite the price fluctuations of the black gram, the pigeon pea price stayed between K1,965,000 and K1,990,000 per tonne.
During that period, the FOB price touched the highest of $880-900 per tonne for the black gram and $1,020-1,040 per tonne for pigeon peas (red gram) on 1 and 3 August. On 31 August, the black gram FAQ price soared to K2.1 million per tonne, while the FOB price was only $785-805. On 3 August, although the FOB price was $880-900, the black gram price slid around K1.6 million per tonne. The market price is positively related to the dollar exchange rate.
Similarly, the pigeon peas (RC) fetched the highest of K2.175 million per tonne on 19 September with the FOB price at $830-850 per tonne. When the pigeon pea plunged to the lowest price of K1,567,500 per tonne, the FOB prices stood at $850-870 per tonne. On 1 September, it was priced at K2.15 million per tonne with the FOB price reaching $815-835 only. In October, it was valued at K1,975,000 per tonne when the FOB price was only at $835-855 per tonne.
In mid-October 2015, the black gram price surged to K2,456,000 per tonne. At that time, the dollar was exchanged at K1,200 only. The pigeon peas were worth around K1.8 million per tonne that year. In October this year, the dollar exchange rate was around K3,000 yet the black gram FAQ was valued at only K1.8 million per tonne.
The prices of kitchen groceries are inflating along with other food commodities such as rice and beans. The prices of rice, chilli pepper, onion, sugar, wheat, jaggery and edible oil skyrocketed and it is shocking in the market history. Nonetheless, the price of black gram is yet to come to K2.4 million per tonne like the event in 2015. — TWA/GNLM