Where Chana Is Grown
Madhya Pradesh is the leading state, with Vidisha, Sagar, Raisen, Dewas, Ujjain and Indore among the big districts, and the Malwa region producing much of India's kabuli chana. Maharashtra (Vidarbha and Marathwada), Rajasthan (Bikaner, Jaipur, Kota, Hanumangarh), Karnataka (Kalaburagi, Vijayapura), Gujarat (Saurashtra), Uttar Pradesh (Bundelkhand) and Andhra Pradesh (Kurnool, Prakasam) follow.
How Chana Is Grown
Chana is sown after the monsoon on the moisture left in black and loamy soils, needs little water, and dislikes heavy rain and frost. Machine-harvestable tall varieties and wilt-resistant types such as JG 11, JAKI 9218 and Kabuli varieties like Kak 2 and MNK-1 have spread widely. After harvest, chana goes to dal mills, besan mills and roasting units, or is sorted by size for kabuli trade and export.
Season Calendar
Sowing
October–November.Arrivals
February in the south, March–April in MP, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.Besan demand
Peaks before Diwali, weddings and the summer snack season.Big Chana Mandis
- Indore (Chhawni) Mandi, Madhya PradeshMain market for desi and kabuli chanaAboutExplore
- Bikaner Mandi, RajasthanDesi chana and besan tradeAboutExplore
- Lawrence Road and Naya Bazar, DelhiDelhi pulses tradeAboutExplore
- Latur and Akola, MaharashtraChana and dal millsAboutExplore
- Vidisha and Ashoknagar, Madhya PradeshLarge chana-growing beltAboutExplore
Besan and Snack Makers
Besan (gram flour) is the base of India's namkeen and sweets industry, so snack companies are among the biggest chana buyers.
- Haldiram Snacks Pvt LtdDelhi and Nagpur · namkeen and sweetsAboutExplore
- Bikaji Foods International LtdBikaner · listed; bhujia and namkeenAboutExplore
- Balaji Wafers Pvt LtdRajkot · namkeen and wafersAboutExplore
Traders, Exporters and Government
India exports kabuli chana and imports some desi chana from Australia and Tanzania when crops are short. NAFED buys large volumes at MSP in good years and holds a buffer, which it has sold as subsidised "Bharat Dal".
- 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
Brands and Online Sellers
- 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
- ICAR – Indian Institute of Pulses Research (IIPR)Kanpur · chickpea varietiesAboutExplore
- ICRISATHyderabad · chickpea researchAboutExplore
Quality and Price Drivers
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.
Chana by State
Tap a state for its districts, markets, government buying and buyers.
Processed Products
Related: Tur (Arhar) · Chana · Moong · Urad · Masoor · Rajma · Moth · All crops · Soils.in for farmer help
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