Govt considers raising import duty on pulses

The government is studying a proposal to raise the import duty on pulses, but hasn't reached at any final conclusion. Bumper output this season has led to a slide in prices.

A large part of annual demand is met by import, as domestic output has never sufficed. Since January, the estimated import is 700,000 to 800,000 tonnes.

A recent meeting of central ministers on a related issue saw a suggestion to raise the import duty, to bolster prices for farmers, to avoid an adverse impact on sowing for the next kharif.  

Pulses’ importers say they have yet to be