India imports 50.8 lakh ton pulses for Rs 17,280cr in Apr-Dec

India has imported 50.8 lakh tonnes of pulses for Rs 17,280 crore during April-December period of this fiscal, the government today said.
Pulses output increased sharply to an all-time high of 22.95 million tonnes in 2016-17 crop year (July-June) from 16.35 million tonnes in the previous year, as per the agriculture ministry data.
"India imports pulses and edible oils to meet the gap between domestic production and demand. Pulses and edible oils in India are imported by private sector and not by the government," Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said in a written reply to Lok Sabha.

He said the production of pulses has increased from 17.15 lakh tonnes in 2014-15 to 22.95 million tonnes in 2016-17.
As per data submitted by the minister, pulses import stood at 50.8 lakh tonnes valuing Rs 17,280 crore during April-December period of 2017-18 fiscal.
During 2016-17 fiscal, 66.08 million tonnes worth Rs 28,523 crore pulses were imported, while imports stood at 57.97 lakh tonnes worth Rs 25,619 crore in 2015-16 and 45.8 lakh tonnes worth Rs 17,062 crore in 2014-15.

Shekhawat said 3.79 lakh tonnes of pulses were imported by the government in 2015-16 to create buffer stock when the availability of commodity was less and domestic prices were high.

In case of edible oils, imports stood at 11.8 lakh tonnes for Rs 58,143 crore during April-December period of 2017-18.
Imports of cooking oils stood at 14.01 million tonnes worth Rs 73,047 crore in the entire 2016-17 financial year.