1,500% Increase In Inspection Charges Hits Pulses Imports

A hefty 1500 per cent increse in plant quarantine inspection fee and treatment charges from Rs 40 per tonne to Rs 600 per tonne has brought import of pulses to a grinding halt. The hike, if passed on, will reflect in retail prices of pulses moving up between Re 1 to Rs 1.50 per kg, sources said.

Trade sources said at present there are three vessels carrying about 45,000 tonnes of pulses which are berthed at Mumbai port. And as per the new charges, it will cost Rs 2.70 crores to get the consignment inspected according to the revised tariff as against Rs 18 lakh earlier.

 

The ministry of agriculture had issued a notification dated May 16, hiking the plant quatantine inspection fee and treatment charges from Rs 40 to Rs 600 per tonne with immediate effect. As a result, all import of pulses and timber has come to a standstill.

Earlier, there was no such charges till 1993 and afterwards, it was introduced at Rs 40 a tonne.

According to highly-placed sources in the Pulses Importers Association, this will badly affect all imports from Canada, Australia, and Turkey. Coming at a time when drought situation in pulse growing areas is affecting the sentiment, such an action is bound to inflate prices, sources said.

"This will restrict the imports of pulses which are already running in short supply of about 10 lakh tonnes every year. This will result in a price increase of about Rs 1.00 to 1.50 a kg in the near future," industry sources said.

Sources said that the extract of the above notification reveals that the charges are for plant material, seeds and fruits for consumption. However, import of pulses does not fall under any of the referred categories of plant material, seeds and fruits.

India is a large importer of all kinds pulses and has a deficit in the local crop of about 18 lakh tonnes.