India to import 1.5 million tonnes of pulses

New Delhi, Apr 12 (UNI) The government today decided to import 1.5 million tonnes of pulses to meet the shortfall in domestic production and contain the rising prices of these commodities in the retail market.

NAFED and State Trading Corporation (STC) would formulate market-wise strategies for the supply of the imported pulses across the country, Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi told reporters.

Of the 1.5 million tonnes, half of the quantity would be tur dal and moong dal. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The government would provide a subsidy of 15 per cent in case NAFED and STC suffered any losses.

India would also import 300 tonnes of SMP from Nepal to augment the overall availability of pulses and stablise the price situation, the Minister said.

The Cabinet also discussed the price situation of oil seeds, but did not take any decision on import, he said.

UNI