The government has decided not to impose a proposed 10% import duty on chana (gram) till March 2015 due to adverse impact of slow progress in sowing of chana during the current rabi season.
A senior agriculture ministry official said that the department had proposed a 10% duty on chana and also recommended freeing exports of all other varieties of pulses as prices had declined in the past few weeks. The ministry's view was however countered by the consumer affairs department, which argued that imposing an import duty at this juncture might have an impact in the coming months, especially given that ‘chana’ acreage in the current rabi season is less than last year. Besides, no decision has been taken yet on allowing bulk exports of all varieties of pulses and edible oils. There has been a ban on these exports, except for chickpea (kabuli chana) and organically grown ones.
Chana is currently trading in some parts of the country below the government’s minimum support price of Rs 3,100 a quintal. However, prices could rise in the coming months as the crop has been planted in around 7.78 million hectares till last week compared with 9.06 million hectares in the corresponding period of last year. In 2013-14, India’s production of chana was 9.88 million tonnes, up from 8.83 million tonnes the previous year.