PEC, the government run trading firm has been authorized by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) to export about 291 tonnes of pulses to Maldives till 2016-17. The Government of India ships the commodity to the neighbouring country on diplomatic grounds despite exports of pulses being banned from the country.
The government has allowed exports of 87.85 tonnes, 96.63 tonnes and 106.29 tonnes for 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17 respectively to Maldives. In order to augment the domestic supply and check prices the government had banned exports of pulses exports in June 2006. India is the largest consumer of the foodgrain. The country imports pulses to meet the domestic production shortfall of 3-4 million tonnes.
The country is expected to produce 19.8 million tonnes (MT) of pulses this year, which includes 9.8 MT of chana crop, while trade figures says only 6.5 MT of chana crop this year. The country had imported around 1.4 MT of pulses between April to September 2013.