Allow private firms to import pulses: Importers' body to govt

The Pulses Importers Association has asked the government to allow private companies to import pulses as well as give a subsidy to importers to keep a check on prices which have shot up recently.

The rising pulses price have already created panic-like situation in the country, as the prices have gone beyond the reach of a common man.

“The better way to keep a check on prices will be to let private companies import and government can give subsidy to importers to keep a check on prices,” the Pulses Importers Association’s President, K C Bhartiya said.

Government has authorised agencies such as STC, MMTC, Nafed among others to import various pulses. They are floating tenders in the international market. The tenders floated are in huge quantity and therefore the suppliers are quoting higher prices to keep cushion and high margins, Bhartiya said.

There are more than 5,000 importers of pulses in India and if there are incentives from the government there may be many more. This will lead to a smooth supply line, he said.

The prices of pulses are rising internationally since export ban is imposed in India. The ban is the main reason behind rising international prices, Bhartiya said. India imports approximately 2.5 million tonnes of all types pulses, as against 300,000 million tonnes of export of all types of processed pulses, which keeps international market of pulses under check.

It is imperative that Government looks at this very serious subject as survival of entire dal industry and farmers growing pulses are struggling to survive, Bharatiya said.

The per capita pulses consumption as on date even on the higher side is approximately 12 kg a year. The country is well short of requirement and thus it needs to resort to heavy imports, the statement said.

The country’s increasing demand for pulses due to rise in population has resulted in increase in net imports from about 460,000 tonnes in 1998-99 to over 2 million tonnes in 2008-09 and it is likely to go further down if serious attention is not given to increase pulse production, Bhartiya said.

Ironically, countries such as Canada, Australia are exploiting Indian situation to their advantage as farmers there are reaping very high profits.

It is discouraging that Indian farmers do not even get what they have invested they are in fact loosing, farmers will move out of farming and look for other means of livelihood, Bharatiya said.

It is a matter of serious concern and need of the hour is to implement long term policy to encourage pulse farming, to increase acreage and remove all restrictions, stock limits, unnecessary intervention, and Government to support them and in turn they get better price. Otherwise price on pulses would be at least five times more then what they are today, he said.

Farmers are shifting from pulses to other crops because they are getting better returns. The production of pulses is stagnant for more than a decade and production of other crops such as oilseeds is on the rise.