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 Rajasthan
The main chana districts of Rajasthan are Bikaner, Jaipur, Kota, Hanumangarh, Churu, Ajmer. Rajasthan is India's leading producer of bajra, mustard, moth, guar, coriander, isabgol and cumin, and a major producer of moong, groundnut, barley, chana and wheat. Its dry western districts grow hardy crops on sand, while canal-fed Sri Ganganagar and Chambal-fed Hadoti are its granaries.
Season in Rajasthan
Rabi: sown October–November, harvested February–April. Exact arrival dates in Rajasthan depend on local sowing and the monsoon, so check current arrivals before planning purchases.
How Chana Is Sold in Rajasthan
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. Rajasthan's big mandis include Jaipur, Kota, Bikaner, Merta City and Sri Ganganagar.
Other major markets in Rajasthan
- Jaipur (Muhana)Mustard, bajra, barleyAboutExplore
- Merta CityMoong, cuminAboutExplore
- BikanerMoth, groundnut, guarAboutExplore
- Kota and Ramganj MandiSoybean, coriander, wheatAboutExplore
- Sri GanganagarMustard, kinnow, wheatAboutExplore
Government Buying in Rajasthan
MSP; NAFED buys and holds a buffer. In Rajasthan, 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.
- Rajasthan State Agricultural Marketing BoardRegulated marketsAboutExplore
- RAJFEDCooperative marketing and procurementAboutExplore
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 Rajasthan. 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 Rajasthan
New varieties, crop advice and seed for chana growers in Rajasthan come from the state agricultural universities below and from the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) in each district.
- Swami Keshwanand Rajasthan Agricultural UniversityBikanerAboutExplore
- Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and TechnologyUdaipurAboutExplore
- Sri Karan Narendra Agriculture UniversityJobnerAboutExplore
- Agriculture UniversityKotaAboutExplore
Chana in Other States
Madhya Pradesh · Maharashtra · Karnataka · Gujarat · Uttar Pradesh · Andhra Pradesh
Related: Chana – all India · Rajasthan · 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