Govt contracts 4.37 LT pulse imports

State-run agencies have contracted imports of 437,000 tonnes of pulses as of May 8 at the behest of the government, a food ministry release said today.

Of the total imports, the agencies have contracted deals for 258,000 tonnes of yellow peas, 132,000 tonnes of urad, 15,000 tonnes of moong, and 30,000 tonnes of tur, the release said.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs had on April 12 approved the import of 1.5 million tonnes pulses by government agencies over 6-8 months.

National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India, State Trading Corporation, MMTC and PEC have been asked to detail marketwise and month-wise plans to import 0.75 million tonnes of urad, tur, moong, masur and gram, and 0.75 million tonnes of yellow peas and other pulses.

According to official estimates, around 52,039 tonnes of pulses have already reached the Indian shores.

State Trading Corporation late Wednesday floated a tender to import 155,000 tonnes yellow peas seeking delivery during July-November. MMTC and PEC have also been consistently floating pulses import tenders.

Last year, the government had allowed import of pulses at zero duty and banned exports to ensure higher availability, and keep a check on prices. According to the latest government estimates, pulses output in the current crop year to June is seen at 14.1 million tonnes, marginally higher than last year's 13.4 million tonnes, but lower than government's target of 15.1 million tonnes.

Prices of pulses have almost doubled since the last year on lower output in both domestic and global markets.

The government has been trying to keep prices of essential commodities, including pulses, under check to contain inflationary pressures.

The food ministry also said for the week ended May 4, prices of gram and tur remained steady in most centres, while they declined in Delhi, Jaipur, and Shillong. It said wheat and sugar prices remained steady-to-low in most of the centres across the country.