Ban on dollar gram (chana) lifted to alleviate farmers' distress

New Delhi, Feb 21 (UNI) In a move aimed at alleviating the distress of farmers due to sharp fall in prices of dollar gram (chana), the Government today announced that the ban had been lifted on its export.

Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath in consultation with Mr Sharad Pawar, Minister for Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, decided to lift the ban on export of this particular variety of chana to mitigate the farmers' distress condition.

Accordingly, the Department of Commerce has issued notification Number 48, dated February 20, 2007, allowing export of dollar chana under permission granted by Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).

The ban on export of pulses was imposed in June last year due to a steep rise in prices.

However, since then a number of representations were received by the Department of Commerce that the prices of dollar gram (chana) had plummeted between Rs 2,000 and Rs 2,300, against last year's prices of Rs 4,000 to Rs 4,500 a quintal because of the ban on export of pulses.

This particular variety of chana -- which is not used as pulse but exported in its primary form -- is primarily grown in Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.

According to reports, a few farmers have contemplated suicide since they were not able to meet even half the cost of cultivating this chana.

The regional offices of DGFT at Bhopal and Hyderabad are being authorised to issue these permissions.

UNI