The government has procured 1.19 lakh tonnes (LT) of pulses from farmers so far for creating a buffer stock and also contracted to import 46,000 tonnes of pulses. The procurement of rabi pulses has reached 68,000 tonnes, while procurement of Kharif stood at 51,000 tonnes. That apart, 14,321 tonnes have arrived against the total contracted quantity of 46,000 tonnes.
This step has been taken as part of an effort to cool prices which are ruling as high as Rs 198 a kg. The centre will also ask state governments to expedite lifting of pulses from the buffer stock for sale at a subsidized rate not more than Rs 120 per kg.
India is the world’s largest producer of pulses, but domestic demand outstrips production. The shortfall is met from imports. India imported more than 5.5 million tonnes (MT) of pulses last fiscal, largely through private traders. Pulses output is estimated at 17.06 MT in the 2015-16 crop year (July-June).