For smooth procurement of pulses, the government has released Rs 90 crore to three state-run firms -- Nafed, SFAC and FCI -- for the kharif season in the current marketing year.
"Rs 50 crore and Rs 40 crore has been released to FCI and NAFED respectively to start procurement of pulses in Kharif Marketing Season 2015-16. SFAC will undertake procurement from Rs 9 crore Price stablisation Fund already available with them," Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.
NAFED, SFAC and FCI will procure of pulses (Tur and Urad) in the Kharif 2015 season at prevailing market rates from farm gate/Mandis for creation of buffer stocks, he added.
This year, prices of pulses continued to rule high and touched Rs 210 per kg due to fall in domestic production by 2 million tonnes in the 2014-15 crop year.
The production of lentils fell due to 14 per cent deficit monsoon. The production was 17.20 million tonnes in 2014-15 crop year, much lower than the requirement of 25 million tonnes. The gap is being met through imports.
To create a buffer stock, the government has asked cooperative NAFED and Small farmers Agri-Business Consortium (SFAC) to procure 40,000 tonnes of pulses at an estimated cost of Rs 350 crore.
Procurement of tur and urad to create a buffer stock in the current Kharif marketing season is being done with assistance from Price Stabilisation Fund.
