Rajma and Kabuli Chana Stay Firm While Other Pulses Soften

Rajma (kidney beans) and Kabuli chana are holding firm in New Delhi’s wholesale trade, supported by selective, quality-driven buying, while several other pulses weaken on slack dal mill demand. The near-term bias for beans is steady to firm in premium segments, with softer undertones for moong, arhar, urad and matar. In the Indian physical market, buying has clearly shifted towards quality beans and chickpeas, with Indian-origin Brazil-quality Rajma and good Kabuli chana lots attracting better bids. Importers are showing little selling interest and imported Rajma remains relatively expensive, which is helping support domestic values. At the same time, weaker mill demand is dragging on moong, arhar, urad and matar, reinforcing a two-speed pulse complex. Internationally, recent FOB offers from China and Brazil indicate generally stable to slightly firmer kidney bean prices in EUR terms, underlining the resilience of the higher-quality bean segment.

Prices & Market Tone

In New Delhi’s June 2026 trade, Rajma and Kabuli chana are described as firm to slightly higher, while several other pulses are under pressure. Firmness in Rajma stems from improved demand at consuming centres and only light selling from importers. Kabuli chana prices are also well supported by steady enquiries and tight availability of quality lots.

Outside India, recent FOB indications for beans converted to EUR show mixed but generally steady trends. Chinese dark red kidney beans are around EUR 1.30/kg FOB Beijing, up modestly from earlier in the month. Chinese black kidney beans are near EUR 1.05/kg, with small organic black kidneys closer to EUR 1.13/kg. Brazilian dark red kidneys are trading around EUR 1.28/kg FOB Brasília, slightly softer than earlier levels, while Brazilian white Alubia beans hover near EUR 1.17/kg.

Supply & Demand Dynamics

Supply on the Rajma side is constrained more by the behaviour of importers than by physical scarcity. Importer selling remains weak, limiting spot availability of imported parcels and keeping attention on Indian-origin Brazil-quality Rajma, which has drawn better buying interest. This has effectively shifted demand onto a narrower band of quality origins and grades.

Kabuli chana fundamentals are similarly tight at the quality end. Traders report limited availability of good-quality stock, with food processors and retailers providing steady offtake. By contrast, moong, arhar, urad and matar are facing a slowdown in dal mill demand, which has led to lower bids and visible weakness in both domestic and imported matar. Overall, the beans complex is characterised by selective, quality-based buying rather than broad-based strength.

Fundamentals & Quality Differentiation

The key fundamental feature of the current market is quality segmentation. Rajma with Brazil-equivalent quality and well-cleaned Kabuli chana lots command a premium and are likely to stay firm if selling pressure does not increase. Traders emphasise that buyers are focusing on consistent colour, size and cleanliness, particularly for branded retail and food-processing channels.

Meanwhile, pulses used primarily for milling, such as moong and urad for dal production, are more exposed to the current demand lull. The weakness in these segments is not spilling over meaningfully into Rajma and Kabuli chana so far, underlining that these beans are behaving as a relatively defensive sub-sector within the wider pulse market.

Weather & External Factors

With the 2026 monsoon season progressing, market participants are closely tracking rainfall distribution in key pulse-growing belts, but current firmness in Rajma and Kabuli chana is still driven more by trade flows and quality availability than by immediate weather shocks. Any sustained improvement in crop prospects could ease forward supply concerns, particularly for moong and urad, while patchy or delayed rains would reinforce the premium on secure, high-quality bean stocks.

Short-Term Outlook & Trading Ideas

• Rajma (kidney beans): Bias remains steady to firm as long as importer selling stays light and domestic Brazil-quality lots stay in focus. Upside risk lies in any further slowdown of imports or renewed retail restocking.
• Kabuli chana: Expected to hold firm on continued processor and retail demand, with limited quality stock acting as a floor. Price corrections are likely to be shallow and short-lived.
• Other pulses (moong, arhar, urad, matar): Direction remains closely tied to dal mill buying; without a clear recovery in offtake, these markets may continue to trade with a softer bias.
• Strategy: Importers and large buyers may consider gradually covering Rajma and Kabuli chana requirements on dips, while remaining cautious on large forward commitments in weaker milling pulses until demand improves.

3-Day Directional Price View (Beans)