Centre nears pulses buffer stock target

Disposal remains a challenge as rates have fallen below purchase price due to bumper harvest

The Centre’s ambitious target of building a two million tonnes buffer stock of pulses is almost complete with the inventories reaching around 1.99 million tonnes. But disposal of pulses has been rather weak with the government managing to dispose just 0.13 million tonnes of pulses.

Officials said with procurement almost complete in Maharashtra for this season, the total stocks have reached around 1.99 million tonnes.

Farmers in many mandis across Maharashtra are still bringing in their produce, particularly of crops that were sown late, but state agencies have cut down on purchases except from genuine growers amid concerns of traders offloading their