Masoor: The Red Lentil

Where Masoor Is Grown

Madhya Pradesh (Vidisha, Sagar, Raisen, Damoh), Uttar Pradesh (Lalitpur, Jhansi, Bahraich, Ballia) and Bihar (the Tal lands of Patna, Mokama and Barh, where lentil grows on receding floodwater) are the main growers. West Bengal, Jharkhand and Assam also grow it.

How Masoor Is Grown and Traded

Masoor is a hardy, low-water winter crop. Indian masoor is mostly small-seeded; imported Canadian and Australian lentils are larger and are often split into red dal in Indian mills, especially in Kolkata and Mumbai. Because imports are so important, masoor prices follow world lentil prices and Indian import duty changes closely.

Season Calendar

Masoor Markets

• Kolkata pulses market (Posta Bazar)Eastern India's main dal market and import hubAboutExplore
• Vidisha and Sagar, Madhya PradeshIndian masoor marketsAboutExplore
• Patna and Mokama, BiharTal masoor of BiharAboutExplore

• 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

Quality and Grades

Traders deal in whole masoor (brown), masoor malka (whole red, with skin removed) and split red masoor dal. Canadian lentils are graded as No. 1, No. 2 and so on, and Australian lentils as Nugget and other types. Indian buyers look for colour, uniform size and low broken percentage.

Price Drivers

Masoor prices in India move with world lentil prices, Indian import duty, the Canadian and Australian harvests, and freight. A good Indian rabi crop reduces import demand; NAFED buying at MSP supports farm prices in big crop years.

Masoor by State

Tap a state for its districts, markets, government buying and buyers.

Related: Tur (Arhar) · Chana · Moong · Urad · Masoor · Rajma · Moth · All crops · Soils.in for farmer help

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