Nafed to import pulses at zero duty

National Agricultural Co-operative Marketing Federation (Nafed) has finalised the purchase of 30,000 tonne pulses. It would import 25,000 tonne urad and 5000 tonne moong at zero duty.

The shipment period would be July and early August at Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai delivery ports. Both the pulses would be imported from Myanmar.

Nafed had floated a global tender to import 45,000 tonne pulses on June 18. As per the tender, Nafed was suppose to import gram and arhar along with urad and moong.

However, the import of arhar has been put on hold by the government. The offers that came for gram were for late August and September shipment and so they were not finalised.

"We are making efforts to get gram imported in July and early August,"said a Nafed official.