Hospitals should serve more moong dal

The move is part of an effort to boost moong demand in public institutions in order to stabilize prices for farmers

- Dhirendra Kumar

The Centre wants states to feed more moong dal to hospital patients, prison inmates and school students, two people aware of the development said.

The move is part of an effort to boost moong demand in public institutions in order to stabilize prices for farmers facing low returns due to a supply glut. Authorities are expecting a bumper production of moong dal.

According to the agriculture ministry's first advance estimates, moong dal production for the kharif season alone is projected at 1.3 million tonnes (mt), compared with 3.6 mt in FY23 and 3.1 mt in FY24.

Moong is a three-season crop, primarily grown in the kharif and summer seasons, with a smaller quantity produced during the rabi season.

In addition, the government holds a buffer stock of 800,000 tonnes of moong.