Question : Import of Pulses

(a) the details of the quantum of pulses imported during 2014 to 2017, crop-wise and year-wise;
(b) the minimum and maximum procurement price of imported pulses and expenditure incurred on their transportation;
(c) the names of the States which procured imported pulses, quantum-wise and per quintal price of pulses charged from States;
(d) the total time taken by the Government to bring imported pulses into the Indian markets; and
(e) the impact of imported pulses on consumers and pulses produced in the country?

THE MINISTER OF STATE
CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY)

(a) to (e): Imports of pulses are primarily through private trade and the quantum of imports along with their value is at Annexure.

Central Government also imported 3.79 lakh MT of pulses including 0.18 lakh MT in 2015-16 and 3.61 lakh MT in 2016-17 towards building the buffer of upto 20 lakh MT of pulses. These imports were mainly from Myanmar, Canada, Australia and Mozambique. The cargo was received in around one to three months from the placement of order.

Government is releasing the pulses from the buffer to States, Central Agencies and also disposing through open market sales. States like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, etc. were provided pulses including imported pulses from the buffer.

The imported pulses improves availability and help ameliorate demand-supply gap in pulses and moderate its prices.
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