Government allows import of pulses to calm prices

The government today decided to import 1.5 million tonnes of pulses in the next six to eight months to bring down prices and augment domestic supplies.

"The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) today gave its approval to import 1.5 million tonnes of pulses through public sector agencies to stabilise the prices in the market," Minister of Information and Broadcasting Priyaranjan Dasmunshi told reporters after the CCEA meeting.

The government had asked public sector agencies National Agricultural and Cooperative Marketing Federation (Nafed), State Trading Corporation (STC), MMTC and PEC to formulate market-wise and month-wise import plan to import pulses over a period of six-eight months, the minister said.

"The imports will include 0.75 million tonnes of urad, gram, masur, moong and tur. In addition, the government has decided to import 0.75 million tonnes of yellow peas and other pulses," he said.

Dasmunshi said the public sector agencies concerned would also qualify for subsidy not exceeding 15 per cent without benchmarking lowest level of loss. "The prices of essential commodities like edible oil etc were discussed in the meeting. However, a decision was taken only on the import of pulses," he added.

The CCEA has also permitted export of 330 tonnes skimmed milk powder (SMP) to Nepal though the ban on general SMP export continues.

According to the government estimates, pulses output in the current year is 14.1 million tonnes, marginally higher than last year's 13.4 million tonnes, but lesser than the target of 15.1 million tonnes.

The government had announced nil duty on pulses import in June, 2006, which is valid till March, 2008. The prices of pulses have almost doubled since last year on account of lower output in both domestic as well as global markets.

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