Around 4,927 tonnes of Arhar dal imported through MMTC

For the last two years there was no import trading of pulses and 4927 tonnes of arhar dal was imported through MMTC. MMTC has not received any complaint with regard to the quality of dal The Dollar Business Bureau

Arhar dal imported around 4,927 tonnes through MMTC

Total quantity of arhar dal of around 4927 tonnes has been imported via MMTC.

Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman recently informed the Parliament about the import of around 4,927 tonnes of arhar dal through MMTC. Further, Sitharaman informed the lawmakers that this time, MMTC did not receive any quality related complaint of Arhar dal. Nirmala Sitharaman was giving a reply to a paper in the Rajya Sabha. She further mentioned that, “last two years during 2013-14 and 2014-15 we haven’t seen any import trading of pulses; which means the government has not imported pulses during these years”. In 2015, MMTC had assured the Govt that 10,000 tons of pulses will arrive in the country as the government had requested various state governments to gear up for distribution of the pulses through retail outlets. The secretary, consumer affairs and various state government heads had discussed in a video conference in 2015 to increase the availability of pulses in the domestic market. During the end of last year, the Govt decided to increase the availability of pulses. At that time, the price of dal was hovering as high as Rs.180 per kg in the retail markets across the country, since the production of pulses dipped by 2 million tonnes in the year 2014-15, mainly due to untimely rains. It was then that the Govt decided to import 3,000 tonnes of pulses- 2,000 tonnes of tur and 1,000 tonnes of urad dal- to meet the domestic demand, and the decision was arrived at during the meeting between Union Cabinet Secretary P K Singh and Secretaries of the state department. In the recently issued Union budget announced by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, the Government had approved a 'path breaking' crop Insurance Scheme called “Prime Minister Fasal Bima Yojana” to insure crops and thereby save the farmers and the crops from any untoward climatic conditions. The Finance Minister had announced a sum of Rs.5,500 crore for this scheme in his budget address. It was also mentioned in the budget that, “incentives are being given for enhancement of pulses production. 500 crores under National Food Security Mission have been assigned for pulses. The number of districts covered under the mission has been increased to 622”.

March 10, 2016 | 10:00pm IST

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The Dollar Business Bureau - Mar 11, 2016 04:53 IST

Around 4,927 tonnes of Arhar dal imported through MMTC

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