Government team in Mozambique and Myanmar for pulses

With prices of pulses still very high, the government has sent a team of officials to Mozambique to enter into an arrangement for regular import of lentils. Another team is already in Myanmar discussing long-term arrangements.

The production of pulses in India has been static, at about 18 million tonnes, while demand is almost 23 million tonnes. Adding to the woes, pulses are not produced in very many countries. Prices of tur dal have remained over Rs 200 a kg, a key concern for the Central government in recent times.

“A high-level delegation led by the secretary in the ministry of consumer affairs, Mr Hem

Pande, has left for Mozambique on Tuesday. The delegation will explore both short-term and long-term measures to import pulses from Mozambique on a government-to-government basis,” a government media statement said. The delegation has officials from the ministries of consumer affairs, commerce, agriculture and the state-run MMTC.

Myanmar is stated to have surplus production of 50,000 tonnes, but there is a lack of proper infrastructure to export the lentils to India.