Question : Import of Pulses

(a) whether the Government plans to import pulses to bridge the growing gap between the demand and supply and to contain rising prices, if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Government has increased the limit of the buffer stock of pulses, if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government has requested States to sell the pulses from the buffer stock at subsidized prices, if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the production and availability of pulses is expected to fall, if so, the details thereof; and
(e) the alternative steps taken by the Government to tackle the aforementioned problems?

THE MINISTER OF
CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI RAM VILAS PASWAN)

(a) : No, Sir. As on date, Government is not planning to import pulses.

(b) : Government has approved creation of dynamic buffer stock of pulses of upto 20 lakh MT.

(c) : In the month of September 2018, Government launched a scheme for disposal of stock of pulses procured under Price Support Scheme (PSS) during Kharif and Rabi season 2017-18, by way of distribution to States/UTs for utilization under various welfare schemes like MDM, PDS, ICDS, etc. with Central subsidy of ? 15/- per kg over the issue price as a one-time measure for a period of 12 months or till PSS pulses stock of 34.88 lakh MT lasts (whichever is earlier).

(d) : As per the 3rd Advance Estimates released by Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, production of pulses for the year 2018-19 is estimated to be 23.22 Million MT (MMT) as compared to 25.42 MMT as per final estimates for the year 2017-18.

(e) : Government has taken various measures to ensure availability of pulses and moderate its price fluctuations. Such measures include initiatives for increasing production and productivity of pulses through National Food Security Mission (NFSM), announcing appropriate Minimum Support Price (MSP) to incentivize production, etc. Further, Government has signed a MoU with Mozambique for assured supply of Tur and other pulses and also suitably amends trade policy to improve availability, etc. In addition, calibrated releases are made from buffer stock of pulses from time to time to moderate price fluctuations.
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