Letters: Check the high pulse rate

With reference to the editorial, "Recipe for pulses" (October 27), food inflation is set to dominate headlines again, hence long-term solutions to tackle domestic output deficit have become necessary.

The steep hike in the retail prices of pulses have pushed up household budgets. The most viable option to deal with the shortage of domestic production is to increase the area under cultivation of pulses and revise the minimum support price of the commodity. Given that our cultivation is still largely dependent on the southwest monsoon, we should have an adequate buffer stock of pulses. This apart, pulses could be imported, but this is risky in terms of cost and ready availability of the commodity.

According to a report published in this newspaper, "Sebi turns the heat on hoarders" (October 27), the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) is likely to take action against hoarders for violation of the Essential Commodities Act as part of the government's anti-stockpiling drive. The Sebi's pro-consumer move could supplement the government's efforts to check hoarding, which has so far yielded the seizure of 75,000 tonnes of pulses during raids in various parts of the country.

There are encouraging reports in the media that several states have responded to the Centre's appeal to sell tur dal at reasonable rates by selling pulses at prices lower than market rates, either through government agencies or the Public Distribution System.

The suggestion given in the editorial encompassing four critical elements into a strategy to overcome the problem of high prices of pulses, merits the government's consideration. However, the efficacy of options such as importing pulses from countries where land is abundant and contract farming is practised is dependent on factors that are beyond our control.

Are we truly short of cultivable land in India? Could proper diversification of food crops not serve the purpose? In any case, the likely cost of such a bold venture needs to be assessed.

Kumar Gupt, Panchkula

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