The government is not considering any proposal to import pulses in view of likely shortage of rain and many steps have been taken to contain their prices and improve availability, Parliament was informed today.
Replying to a question on whether the government plans to import of pulses, Minister of State for Food Raosaheb Patil Danve in a written reply to the Lok Sabha said: "No such proposal is under consideration."
The Minister added that government has taken several steps to contain prices and improve availability of pulses and other essential commodities.
Listing steps taken by the government, the minister said import duties have reduced to zero for onion and pulses and the same has been kept at 10 per cent for edible oils.
Other steps included banning export of edible oils and pulses subject to selective exemptions and suspended futures trading in urad and tur.
Replying to a separate question, the minister said the per capita consumption of pulses in 2013-14 rose to 18.41 kg per annum from 18.15 kg per annum in 2012-13.
While the import of pulses declined to 3.05 million tonnes in 2013-14 from 3.38 million tonnes in the previoius year.
India largely import pulses through private traders.
