Pigeon Pea Market Finds a Floor as Indian Demand and Myanmar Prices Firm
India’s pigeon pea market shows first signs of recovery as mill demand returns, Myanmar prices firm and structural acreage declines tighten the kharif outlook.
Prices & Market Tone
As of 11 May 2026, lemon‑grade Myanmar‑origin pigeon pea in Delhi was quoted around EUR 76.5–76.6 per 100 kg (converted from about USD 83.52–83.63 per quintal), up roughly EUR 0.2 on the day after losing about EUR 5.8 over the past month. Chennai and Mumbai evening quotes for lemon‑grade material were slightly lower, near EUR 72.8–73.0 per quintal, but also firmed by about EUR 0.2 session‑on‑session, confirming a tentative turn in sentiment.
In Mumbai, African‑origin pigeon pea has followed suit: Sudan‑origin lots are now near EUR 64.0 per quintal and white‑grade pigeon pea around EUR 60.0, each gaining approximately EUR 0.5 on the day. Dal prices remain substantially higher than raw tur, with processed pigeon pea dal trading in the region of EUR 104–111 per quintal, preserving attractive crushing margins. In Europe, dried food pea offers remain broadly steady: green peas FOB London are around EUR 1.02/kg, marrowfat peas about EUR 1.33/kg, and Ukrainian green peas ex‑Odesa near EUR 0.34/kg, with no notable week‑on‑week change.
Supply & Demand Drivers
Domestic supply from key producing states such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka has been largely exhausted after heavy arrivals earlier in the season. Farmers are now holding minimal stock, reducing the probability of renewed selling pressure at current levels. On the import side, Myanmar lemon‑grade pigeon pea has risen by about EUR 18 per tonne to roughly EUR 750 per tonne C&F, tightening India’s import parity and slowing arrivals of aggressively priced foreign cargoes.
The demand story is anchored in dal processing margins. Mills that withdrew from raw tur purchases when prices were above roughly EUR 79 per quintal have returned at today’s lower levels, taking advantage of the robust spread between raw pigeon pea and dal values. Additionally, the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation has tendered for 60,000 tonnes of processed pigeon pea dal for July–September 2026 delivery, with bids due by 26 May. This institutional buying program should underpin demand through the early kharif marketing window.
Structural Fundamentals
Underlying fundamentals suggest a structurally tighter pigeon pea balance sheet ahead. Farmers in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar are progressively reallocating land from pigeon pea to higher‑frequency vegetable crops that offer three harvests within the eight to nine month pigeon pea cycle. This incremental but persistent loss of acreage will limit India’s capacity to rebuild large surpluses in coming seasons.
Internationally, Myanmar’s exports of pigeon pea are reported to be about seven percent lower year‑on‑year, further restricting available supply for Indian buyers. While India has recently extended the ‘free category’ regime for pigeon pea imports to ensure availability through March 2027, this policy support is now colliding with tighter physical supply and firmer origin prices, reinforcing the sense that the extreme lows of the past month are unlikely to be revisited.
Weather & Kharif Outlook
Weather risks will increasingly matter as India approaches the kharif sowing window from June onward. A broadly normal monsoon onset would still leave pigeon pea acreage vulnerable to substitution into faster‑paying crops, given current farmer economics. Conversely, any early monsoon irregularities or regional rainfall deficits in core pigeon pea belts would add further bullish risk to prices already showing signs of bottoming.
For now, the near‑term balance is shaped more by depleted old‑crop stocks and import dynamics than by new‑crop weather. However, as we move into late June and July, rainfall distribution and planting progress in central and northern India will become key watchpoints for both domestic and export‑oriented buyers of pigeon pea and derived dal products.
Price & Trading Outlook
Over the next two to four weeks, the market outlook is cautiously constructive. Many traders see room for lemon‑grade Myanmar pigeon pea in India to climb toward about EUR 78–79 per quintal within May, even allowing for a potential short‑term dip of roughly EUR 0.5 as residual selling is absorbed. The asymmetry of risks now appears skewed to the upside, given lean farmer stocks, firmer origin prices and visible institutional demand.
European importers of Indian processed pigeon pea dal should recognise that the market is transitioning from a liquidation phase to a base‑building one. Waiting for significantly lower offers may carry greater risk than locking in part of forward needs at current levels, particularly for July–September shipments that overlap with Tamil Nadu’s state buying program.
Trading Recommendations
- Dal processors in India: Use current levels to secure raw pigeon pea coverage for the next 4–6 weeks while crush margins versus dal remain attractive; avoid over‑hedging but treat further dips as buying opportunities.
- European food and ingredients buyers: Initiate staggered forward purchases of Indian processed pigeon pea dal for Q3 2026 deliveries, targeting current price bands rather than waiting for a deeper correction that appears increasingly unlikely.
- Exporters and traders: Prioritise execution of nearby Myanmar and African origin shipments into India before kharif weather and domestic policy developments introduce additional volatility premium.
3‑Day Directional View (Key Markets)
- India pigeon pea (tur) physical: Stable to slightly firmer; consolidation above recent lows expected as mill demand persists.
- India pigeon pea dal: Firm bias; margins should stay supportive, keeping a floor under raw tur values.
- European dried peas (green / marrowfat): Largely sideways; pea complex indirectly supported by firmer global pulse sentiment but with no immediate price breakout signals.