Centre lifts restrictions on export of all types of pulses

The move will give the farmers greater choice in marketing their produce and lead to improved incomes, says Ravi Shankar Prasad

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Thursday gave its approval for removing the prohibition on the export of all types of pulses to give the farmers greater choice in marketing their produce for improved incomes.

"The CCEA (Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs) has approved the removal of prohibition on export of all types of pulses," Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters after a meeting of the Union Cabinet.

He said the move will give the farmers greater choice in marketing their produce and lead to improved incomes.

The CCEA also empowered the committee chaired by Secretary, Department of Food and Public Distribution, to review the export or import policy on pulses.

It will also consider measures such as quantitative restrictions, prior registrations and changes in import duties depending on domestic production and demand, domestic and international prices and international trade volumes.

An official release said that opening of export of all time pulses will help the farmers to dispose of their products at remunerative prices and also encourage them to expand the area of sowing.

It said the export of pulses will provide an alternative market for the surplus production of pulses and help the country and its exporters to regain markets.

The release said that integration with global supply chain is also likely to help the farmers in adopting good agricultural practices and better productivity.