PUNE: Tur dal prices are fast heading towards Rs 200 a kg in retail, while urad dal is closely following the trend. As imports by private parties and the Centre could not match up with the country's demand, it is almost certain that the consumers will have to pay heavily for their pulses during the festival season.The ex-mill prices for local tur dal hit a new high of Rs 167 a kg on Wednesday, while the average ex-mill tur dal prices are about Rs 150 a kg. Having sold between Rs 170 and Rs 180 a kg in retail and at online grocery stores, mill-level prices of tur dal and urad dal have jumped 20 per cent in the past fortnight due to supply shortage, festival demand and high level of speculation. With the addition of traders' profits and transportation cost, the prices may touch Rs 200 in retail in a few days.In the past 15 days, urad dal prices have touched an all-time high of Rs 150 a kg ex-mill and Rs 170-Rs 180 in retail. "The arrival of kharif urad has started in Rajashtran and Madhya Pradesh. However, the crop size is not encouraging and the yields have been adversely affected. Crop size in Maharashtra is just 10 per cent of what it normally was," said Nitin Kalantry, dal miller from Latur, a key pulses trading centre in Maharashtra.The rise in mill level prices ­ from Rs 65 a kg in January to Rs 167 now ­ is more than 150 per cent in the past 9 months.During the past fortnight, chana too has moved up due to the overall sentiments in the market.Ex-mill tur prices have increased from Rs 137a kg to Rs 167, while mill-level prices of moong dal have gone up from Rs 95 a kg to Rs 115."The pipeline is dry. Whatever raw bean supply is coming, it is being used up. The supplies of tur from Africa are slower than expected," said Kalantry.The supply side picture of yellow peas, chana and masoor is clear now. While ample imports of yellow peas will start from October 15, chana from Australia has been contracted in huge quantities and will be available here from December. Masur from Canada will also start coming from November. This will help reduce the prices by about 15 per cent after Diwali.However, the traders say that there is no clarity on the supply side of moong, urad and tur. African tur is not sufficient to take care of domestic demands, while the local tur crop, which is believed to be hit by deficient rains, will be ready only from December-end and January. Similarly, the local moong and urad and the crop from Myanmar will be available only from January-February ."The volatility in prices is very high. Earlier, the prices used to rise by Rs 25 a quintal. Now, they move up and fall by Rs 500 a quintal," said a retailer.