India Pulses and Grain Association (IPGA), the nodal body for the pulses trade and industry in India, has sought for lifting of ban on export and has submitted a representation in this regard to the Commerce Secretary. This will enable the farmers to get an additional source of revenue, besides reducing the chance of diversion of pulses sowing area to other remunerative crops. The severe drought-like conditions of 2006-07 had forced the government to impose an export ban on pulses.
India produced about 16.5 million tonnes (MT) of pulses in 2015-16 crop year (July-June) and the production is expected to cross 20 MT on the back of good monsoon after two consecutive years of drought. The country imported about 5.8 MT last fiscal to meet domestic demand.
The market prices have slipped below the minimum support price (MSP) level amid excess availability of pulses. Tur or pigeopn pea is sold between Rs 35,000-47,000 per tonne in markets such as Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra, as against the MSP of Rs 50,500; whereas mung (gram) is traded in the range of Rs 45,000-50,000 per tonne as against the MSP of Rs 52,250.