What It Is
Dal milling turns whole pulses into split, dehusked dal. India has thousands of dal mills, from small units to large automated plants, concentrated in Latur, Akola, Jalna, Indore, Katni, Kalaburagi, Kanpur, Delhi and Chennai.
How It Is Made
Pulses are cleaned, graded, pitted or treated with oil and water to loosen the husk, dried, dehusked and split in rollers or abrasive machines, then polished, sorted and packed. Colour sorters remove discoloured grains.
Uses and Buyers
Wholesalers, retailers, brands, institutional buyers and government schemes such as the public distribution system.
Quality and Standards
Dal is graded by size, colour, broken percentage and polish. Unpolished dal is a growing premium category. Food products must meet FSSAI standards and labelling rules; many are also sold under the AGMARK grading mark, and exporters follow the buying country's rules on residues and contaminants.
Trade and Exports
Mills process both Indian and imported pulses; government stock limits on millers are imposed when prices rise.
Where the Raw Material Comes From
Processors buy pulses from the main growing states below. Plants are usually built close to these belts, or close to ports for imported raw material, to keep freight low and quality fresh. Tap a state for its districts, markets, season and buyers.
| State | Main districts |
|---|---|
| Maharashtra | Akola, Amravati, Yavatmal, Washim, Latur, Beed, Osmanabad (Dharashiv), Jalna |
| Karnataka | Kalaburagi, Vijayapura, Bidar, Raichur, Yadgir |
| Madhya Pradesh | Narsinghpur, Sagar, Damoh, Chhindwara, Jabalpur |
| Uttar Pradesh | Lalitpur, Jhansi, Banda, Hamirpur, Prayagraj |
| Gujarat | Vadodara, Bharuch, Narmada, Panchmahal, Surat |
| Telangana | Vikarabad, Sangareddy, Narayanpet, Adilabad |
| Andhra Pradesh | Anantapur, Kurnool, Prakasam |
| Jharkhand | Palamu, Garhwa, Chatra, Hazaribagh |
Makers, Processors and Bodies
- Mangat Ram Dal Mill Pvt LtdDelhiAboutExplore
- Tata Consumer Products LtdTata Sampann dalsAboutExplore
- India Pulses and Grains AssociationMumbaiAboutExplore
Related: Pulses · All products · All crops
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