Black Gram Strength Tightens Global Lentil Balance

Indian black gram prices are extending their recovery, underpinned by tight local supply, firm seasonal demand and constrained government stocks, creating a broadly supportive tone for the wider lentil and pulse complex.

Across India’s major centres, black gram (urad) is trading with a clear upward bias as dal mills, papad manufacturers and cautious importers compete for limited arrivals and a thin public buffer, while ongoing instability in Myanmar keeps export logistics fragile for international buyers.

📈 Prices & Market Mood

Black gram prices in India rose by roughly $0.53–$1.06 per quintal on Friday across Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata, reinforcing a pattern of steady recovery rather than a one-off spike. Standard FAQ in Chennai is now indicated around $85.27–$85.53 per quintal, with premium SQ at about $92.45 per quintal, while Mumbai FAQ has climbed to approximately $87.38 per quintal, highlighting broad-based strength rather than isolated regional tightness.

At secondary centres, Akola bilti values are steady near $81.31 per quintal and Jaipur bilti quotes span a wide $82.37–$92.98 per quintal, largely reflecting quality variation rather than demand weakness. The firmness in Indian-origin black gram is increasingly relevant for global lentil users, as it raises the floor under desi pulse export offers and narrows the room for discounting in forward contracts.

🌍 Supply & Demand Drivers

On the supply side, arrivals from Andhra Pradesh’s new black gram crop are below last year’s productivity, meaning fresh domestic inflows are insufficient to ease the market. India’s central buffer reportedly holds only about 80,000 tonnes of black gram, a critically thin cushion compared with other pulses and too small to meaningfully cap prices if demand accelerates further.

Imports from Myanmar (Burma) are not providing much relief. While Burmese black gram values softened into the week’s close, Indian importers are reluctant to liquidate older, higher-cost inventory at a loss, effectively tightening nearby availability. Local markets in Myanmar were closed on Armed Forces Day, reducing near-term price discovery, and the broader civil conflict and political uncertainty continue to inject logistical risk into Myanmar-origin shipments.

On the demand side, South India’s structural consumption season is in full swing, and the papad manufacturing peak is amplifying short-term pull for black gram mogar (split, dehusked product). Dal mills are restocking into this strength, encouraged by the perception that any downside will be shallow and short-lived, given the limited government stock and slower inflows.

📊 Link to Global Lentil Complex

The bullish undertone in Indian black gram intersects with a global lentil system already contending with relatively ample—but unevenly distributed—supplies. Canada, the dominant green and red lentil exporter, is operating with comfortable carry-out stocks following robust harvests, which has capped outright price rallies despite strong export programs in earlier seasons.

Indicative current offers converted to EUR show modest, mostly steady price action: Canadian FOB Ottawa red “football” lentils are near about EUR 2.40 per kg, with large green (Laird) around EUR 1.64 per kg and Eston green roughly EUR 1.55 per kg. Chinese small green lentils FOB Beijing are priced around EUR 1.11–1.20 per kg, with a small organic premium. These levels suggest the black gram rally is not yet triggering a synchronous spike in global lentil benchmarks but is helping to underpin pulse price expectations more broadly.

Product	Origin	Spec	Latest FOB Price (EUR/kg)	1–2 Week Change (approx.)
Lentils dried, small green	China (Beijing)	Conventional	≈ 1.11	Slightly lower
Lentils dried, small green	China (Beijing)	Organic	≈ 1.20	Slightly higher
Lentils dried, Eston Green	Canada (Ottawa)	Conventional	≈ 1.55	Marginally higher
Lentils dried, Laird Green	Canada (Ottawa)	Conventional	≈ 1.64	Flat–slightly higher
Lentils dried, Red football	Canada (Ottawa)	Conventional	≈ 2.40	Marginally higher

🌦 Weather & Risk Factors

For India, early hot-season conditions are emerging unusually quickly, with reports of above-normal temperatures and erratic hail and storm events across several regions in March 2026. While black gram’s immediate tightness is more a function of low stocks and weak arrivals than weather, a hotter-than-normal March–May could stress late-sown pulse crops and limit any mid-season supply relief.

In Myanmar, the intensifying civil conflict—including repeated air and ground operations in key agricultural states—continues to threaten internal transport and export corridor reliability, adding a structurally higher risk premium to black gram flows. For Canadian lentils, no major new weather shock has emerged in the last few days, so current export values primarily reflect currency moves, freight costs and steady overseas demand rather than fresh crop concerns.

📆 2–4 Week Outlook

Given sub-par Indian arrivals, a critically low government buffer and only cautious selling from importers, black gram prices in India are likely to stay firm to slightly higher over the next two to four weeks. The observed $85–$95 per quintal trading band across key centres looks well supported, with any intra-day or intra-week dips expected to trigger renewed mill buying rather than sustained liquidation.

Globally, lentil benchmarks are expected to trade sideways to mildly firmer. Large Canadian stocks and ongoing export competition cap the upside, but higher Indian black gram values and elevated geopolitical and weather risks discourage aggressive price discounting. European buyers of Indian-milled black gram dal and flour, and of Canadian-origin green and red lentils, should therefore plan around a firm floor rather than bet on a sharp correction.

🎯 Trading Outlook & Recommendations

• Dal mills and processors in India: Consider covering near-term black gram needs promptly; the current band appears well supported, and waiting for a significant correction carries more risk than reward in the next month.
• European importers of black gram products: Bring forward discussions for Q2–Q3 contracts, as Indian offers are anchored by tight stocks and Myanmar risk, and may edge higher if Burmese export flows slow or logistics worsen.
• Lentil buyers (green and red): Use the current relatively stable EUR price environment to extend coverage modestly into the shoulder months, but avoid over-committing in case Canadian export competition intensifies later in the year.
• Producers and traders: Monitor Indian policy signals closely; with such a thin black gram buffer, even a small policy adjustment on imports or stock limits could quickly shift short-term sentiment.

📉 Short-Term Price Indication (3-Day Bias)

• India – Black gram (domestic centres): Bias: firm to slightly higher; intraday pullbacks likely met by mill and papad-industry buying.
• FOB Beijing – Small green lentils: Bias: broadly sideways in EUR, with a slight firm tone on organic product amid steady niche demand.
• FOB Ottawa – Canadian green and red lentils: Bias: mostly sideways; mild upward bias possible if freight or currency add costs, but ample supply tempers any rapid move.