Govt asked to fix accountability for pulses imports

In order to ensure availability of pulses in the domestic market, importers have asked the Centre to fix accountability on government agencies if they fail to fulfil their import commitment. They also asked the government to set a timeframe for bringing in the consignment.

"The government has done the right thing by deciding to import 15 lakh tonne pulses as there is a need for the commodity in domestic market," Pulses Importers Association of India President K C Bhartiya said.

However, he said the government should also fix accountability on agencies such as Nafed, PEC, MMTC and STC if they fail to import pulses and also put a timeframe for undertaking imports by these trading firms.

Emphasising that adequate availability of pulses in the country could only be ensured through imports, he said the state agencies should enter into contract with global suppliers at the earliest.

"State agencies are entitled for 15 per cent subsidy, and therefore are in a better position to import than the private firms," he said adding that the pulses were available in the global markets like Myanmar, Australia, Canada, France and China though at higher prices.

The government had last week decided to import 15 lakh tonne of pulses, of which 50 per cent would be urad, masur moong, toor and gram while the remaining would be yellow peas (white matar) and other pulses. The public sector agencies would also qualify for subsidy not exceeding 15 per cent.

The imported pulses should hit the domestic market before the local crops are harvested, Bhartiya adding that import would at best help stabilising the prices of the commodity.

Import by private traders stood at 16.95 lakh tonne till 2006-end while state-owned companies have contracted 1.03 lakh tonne till March 8, 2007.

The country is facing an estimated shortfall of 3.61 million tonne of pulses. As per the third advance estimates for 2006-07, pulses production is likely to increase by 5.3 per cent at 14.10 million tonne while the projected consumption stands at 17.71 million tonne.

"The stagnation in pulses production is a matter of concern. The output has been in the range of 11-14 million tonne annually during the last 15 years," Agriculture Secretary P K Mishra had said recently.

Domestic demand for pulses is estimated at 15-16 million tonne annually and the gap is met through imports, he added.

The stagnation in pulses output was largely attributable to absence of any breakthrough in new varieties and sowing of pulses crop in marginal land. The government is planning to bring an additional two million hectare under pulses cultivation from the existing 22 million hectare.