Centre aims to protect farmers, refuses to slash import duty on chana

Some traders are demanding a reduction to 35-40 per cent to tide over any shortage of the commodity as the new crop will start hitting the market only around mid-February

Despite strong demand from a section of the traders, the Central government is not looking to lower the import duty on chana (gram), the biggest pulses grown in India immediately, to avoid giving any negative signals to farmers just ahead of the sowing season that will start in next few weeks.

Chana is majorly imported from Australia and Tanzania and it attracts an import duty of 60 per cent.

A section of the traders is demanding a reduction in import duty to around 35-40 per cent to tide over any shortage of the commodity as the new crop will start