About Chana
Chana (chickpea) is India's largest pulse. Desi chana becomes chana dal and besan for snacks and sweets; large white kabuli chana goes into chole and is exported.
Where Chana Is Grown in Maharashtra
The main chana districts of Maharashtra are Latur, Akola, Amravati, Buldhana, Jalna, Ahmednagar. Maharashtra is India's leading producer of onion, grapes, pomegranate, banana (with Gujarat and Andhra), tur, soybean, cotton and sugarcane, and of Alphonso mango and Nagpur orange. Its mandis at Lasalgaon, Latur, Sangli, Solapur and Vashi are among the best known in India.
Season in Maharashtra
Rabi: sown October–November, harvested February–April. Exact arrival dates in Maharashtra depend on local sowing and the monsoon, so check current arrivals before planning purchases.
How Chana Is Sold in Maharashtra
Farm produce is sold through regulated APMC market yards under the state's agricultural produce marketing law, run by the state agricultural marketing board, with many yards linked to eNAM. Maharashtra has been a leader in FPO-led marketing and in allowing direct sales outside APMC yards for fruits and vegetables.
Other major markets in Maharashtra
- Lasalgaon and PimpalgaonOnion, tomato, grapesAboutExplore
- LaturTur, soybeanAboutExplore
- Vashi APMC, Navi MumbaiFruits, vegetables, AlphonsoAboutExplore
- SangliTurmeric, raisinsAboutExplore
- SolapurOnion, pomegranate, jowarAboutExplore
- Kalamna, NagpurOrangeAboutExplore
- JalgaonBanana, cottonAboutExplore
Government Buying in Maharashtra
MSP; NAFED buys and holds a buffer. In Maharashtra, buying is organised through the agencies below, usually at procurement centres in or near the mandis during the harvest window. Farmers register in advance, and payment is made to their bank accounts.
- Maharashtra State Agricultural Marketing Board (MSAMB)Regulated markets, export facilitiesAboutExplore
- MahaFPC (Maharashtra Farmer Producer Companies)FPO procurement and marketingAboutExplore
Quality and Price Notes
Desi chana is graded by size, colour and freedom from damaged grain; kabuli chana by count (for example 42/44, 58/60 per ounce), whiteness and uniformity. Prices depend on the MP, Maharashtra and Rajasthan crops, NAFED buying and buffer sales, import duties on yellow peas and Australian chana, and demand from besan and snack makers. Futures are suspended, so Indore and Bikaner mandi prices serve as benchmarks.
Buyers, Processors and Exporters
These companies and bodies buy, process or export chana across India, including from Maharashtra. Tap a name for details.
- Haldiram Snacks Pvt LtdNamkeen; besan buyerAboutExplore
- Bikaji Foods International LtdBikaner · namkeenAboutExplore
- Olam Agri India Pvt LtdPulses sourcing and importsAboutExplore
- Mangat Ram Dal Mill Pvt LtdDelhi · dal miller and pulses supplierAboutExplore
- India Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA)Mumbai · trade body of pulses importers, millers and tradersAboutExplore
- NAFEDBuys pulses at MSP and holds the pulses bufferAboutExplore
- Tata Consumer Products LtdTata Sampann unpolished dals and besanAboutExplore
- AWL Agri Business LtdFortune besan and dals (formerly Adani Wilmar)AboutExplore
- Patanjali Foods LtdPatanjali dals and besanAboutExplore
- 24 Mantra Organic (Sresta Natural Bioproducts Pvt Ltd)Organic dalsAboutExplore
- Pro Nature Organic Foods Pvt LtdOrganic dalsAboutExplore
- BigBasket (Supermarket Grocery Supplies Pvt Ltd)Online grocery; branded and loose dalsAboutExplore
Research and Advice in Maharashtra
New varieties, crop advice and seed for chana growers in Maharashtra come from the state agricultural universities below and from the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) in each district.
- Mahatma Phule Krishi VidyapeethRahuriAboutExplore
- Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi VidyapeethAkolaAboutExplore
- Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi VidyapeethParbhaniAboutExplore
- Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi VidyapeethDapoliAboutExplore
Chana in Other States
Madhya Pradesh · Rajasthan · Karnataka · Gujarat · Uttar Pradesh · Andhra Pradesh
Related: Chana – all India · Maharashtra · All crops
Names are listed for reference only and do not imply endorsement or affiliation. The About and Explore buttons open Google in a new tab; results there are generated by Google and third parties, not by this site. Prices, MSP, export rules and schemes change often. Nothing here is financial, legal or purchasing advice. Full disclaimer