Import of pulses by NAFED touches 34,300 tonne

New Delhi, Aug 4 (UNI) Indian imports of pulses on zero duty touched around 10 lakh tonne in July-end with National Agricultural Co-operative Marketing Federation (NAFED) importing 34,300 tonne and the rest by the private trade.

The imports by the private trade till mid-July was 4,30,000 tonnes of yellow peas, 1,90,000 tonnes of urad and 90,000 tonnes of moong.

The NAFED has already imported 25,000 tonnes of urad and 5,000 tonnes of moong with additional 34,300 tonnes of these two pulses expected to reach shortly in the country.

The government has already allowed the import of pulses on zero duty to keep the spiralling prices under check. The pulses rates rose abnormally early this year touching as high as Rs 50-60 a kilo.

The imports of pulses was 17.24 lakh tonnes in 2003-04 and 13.39 lakh tonne in 2004-05.

The country produces around 14-15 million tonnes of pulses with total consumption hovering around 17-18 million tonnes leaving a gap of around 2 million tonnes to be imported every year.

UNI JSS arb ht1827