Food Ministry favours 25% hike in tur import duty: Paswan

Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Monday said his ministry was in favour of hiking import duty on tur dal from existing 10 per cent to 25 per cent in the interest of farmers.

After meeting Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Paswan told reporters that the hike plan will be discussed and recommended to the Finance Ministry.

Earlier, Fadnavis had sought further extension of pulses procurement but it was denied by Paswan saying that farmers were not taking their produce to markets.

The government has procured about 4 million tonnes of tur in Maharashtra this year.

The deadline of procuring pulses under Kharif season was till April 22.

Fadnavis also requested the central government to come out with a long-term strategy to address the supply-demand gap in pulses on lines with wheat and rice.

--IANS

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