In a bid to control prices of pulses, the government has decided to import 90,000 tonnes more pulses, a move that would narrow down the gap between demand and supply.
The Consumer Affairs department on Friday held a meeting of the price stabilisation fund, in which it was decided that more pulses would be procured for the buffer stock.
“The government has decided to import 40,000 tonnes of Masur, 20,000 tonnes of Tur, 20,000 tonnes of Desi Chana and 10,000 tonnes of Urad for the buffer stock,” said a Ministry statement, after the meeting chaired by Union Consumer Affairs Secretary, Hem Pande here. The meeting reviewed the procurement and distribution of pulses across the country from the buffer stock.
“So far, the government agencies have procured about 1,20,000 MT pulses from the domestic market and farmers. Besides, the total import of pulses for buffer stock now stands at 1,76,000 tonnes,” said the Ministry’s statement.
It was pointed out during the meeting that the government agencies have been also been directed to gear up for domestic procurement for coming crop of pulses, which is expected to good this year.
Review of availabilityApart from this, an inter-ministerial committee on prices of essential commodities also met on Friday to review availability and prices of essential commodities.
The meeting was attended by senior officials of the Ministry and the Department of Agriculture, Food, Commerce, Revenue, MMTC, NAFED among others.
It was observed during the meeting that prices of pulses have come down but have not reflected in retail. “There was an opinion that States must be asked to take immediate action under the Essential Commodes Act to ensure that decline in prices id also reflected in retail also,” said the statement.
Pulses saw an average price rise of 29.6 percent during 2015-16. Pulses prices have soared up to Rs 200 per kg in the retail markets in recent months due to fall of production in last two crop years in view of back to back drought.
