(a) whether any steps are likely to be taken by the Government to ensure that the cost of imported pulses remains at or above par with MSPs;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government intends to offer export subsidies to pulse traders in India in view of low domestic prices of pulses and if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the Government proposes to review its open import policy of tur and urad pulses; and (e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
THE MINISTER OF
CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)
(a) to (e) : A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
*****
STATEMENT REFERRED IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.*48 FOR 20.07.2022 REGARDING IMPORT OF PULSES.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) & (b) : Import policy of pulses is formulated on the basis of close and continuous monitoring of domestic production, availability and prices scenario including landed cost of imported stocks vis-à-vis MSP by the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) comprising of Department of Consumer Affairs, Department of Food and Public Distribution, Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Department of Commerce. The decisions regarding opening or restriction of imports and the rates for import duties are done keeping the interests of both the domestic farmers and the consumers.
(c) : There is no proposal to offer export subsidies for pulse traders.
(d) & (e) : The Government has kept import of tur and urad under ‘Free Category’ till March 31, 2023 after carefully analysing production, availability, prices and market conditions to protect the interest of domestic farmers while ensuring adequate availability at reasonable prices for all the consumers across India.
The Department of Consumer Affairs monitors the daily retail and wholesale prices of 22 essential food commodities, including tur and urad, submitted by the 184 price monitoring centres that have been set up with Central assistance by State Governments and UT Administrations across the country. Taking into account price trends, the Government takes various measures from time to time to augment domestic availability and stabilize prices of essential food commodities and make them accessible to the consumers, including marginalised communities, at affordable prices. These steps, inter alia, include releases from the buffer to cool down prices, imposition of stock limits, monitoring of stocks declared by entities to prevent hoarding as also requisite changes in trade policy instruments like rationalization of import duty, changes in import quota, restrictions on exports of the commodity etc.
*****