Import of pulses to rise to 10.30 lakh tonne

New Delhi, July 8 (UNI) Import of pulses incresed to 10.38 lakh tonne due to excessive rains and flooding in southern and western states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Gujarat and scanty rainfall in Madhya Pradesh, East Rajasthan and Vidarbha regions.

The state-owned trading firms like PEC, NAFED, MMTC and STC had earlier contracted imports of 6.72 lakh tonnes of pulses but the severe shortage of pulses, which was leading to inflationary pressures, forced the governement to increase imports.

Imports of 1.86 lakh tonnes have arrived at different ports in the country till July 2, government data showed.

The government had announced in April that it would import 15 lakh tonnes of pulses by December this year.

The effect of the imports is already felt in Delhi as prices of gram dal, tur dal, masoor remained steady over the week.

The prices of masoor in Indore for example on July 4, 2007, was at Rs 2,796.45 per quintal which declined to Rs 2,778.45 on July 6, 2007.

Similarly spot prices for channa in Delhi on July 4, 2007 was Rs 2,369.00 which fell to Rs 2,350 on July 6, 2007.

Meanwhile kharif sowing has picked up as pulses have occupied 26.84 lakh hectares land so far as compared to 11.35 lakh hectares last Friday, the figures further showed.

However, compared to last year figure of 26.57 lakh hectares at this time last year, the growth has been marginal. India has a shortage of three million tonne annually for pulses.

UNI