G/STR/Q1/IND/16  
 
17 May 2018  
(18-2939) Page: 1/2 
Working Party on State Trading Enterprises  Original: English  
 
STATE TRADING  
QUESTIONS FROM CANADA  TO INDIA  
REGARDING  INDIA'S LAST NOTIFIC ATION  IN 20121 
The following communication, dated 16 May 2018, is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of Canada . 
 
_______________  
 
 
Canada notes that India has not submitted any notifications on State Trading Enterprises (STEs) 
since November 2012. Could India please provide an update as to when a more recent notification 
will be provided to the Working Party? Canada notes that since India 's November 2012 notificatio n 
there have been developments regarding the procurement, import and export of pulses.  
 
Section 1 of India 's notification, Canada notes that the Food Corporation of India (FCI), the 
National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED ), the Minerals and 
Metal Trading Corporation (MMTC Ltd.), the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India 
Ltd. (NCCF), Projects and Equipment Corporation of India Limited (PEC) and the State Trading 
Corporation (STC) are listed as having import or  export privileges. Canada understands that these 
STEs now have a role in the procurement and/or disposal, import and export, of pulses.  
 
Question 1  
 
Could India elaborate on the role of the Food Corporation of India (FCI), the National Agricultural 
Cooper ative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED), the Minerals and Metal Trading 
Corporation (MMTC Ltd.), the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Ltd. (NCCF), 
Projects and Equipment Corporation of India Limited (PEC) and the State Trading Co rporation 
(STC) and describe any privileges related to the procurement and/or disposal, import or export of 
pulses for the period since India 's 2012 notification to the present?  
 
Question 2  
 
Canada notes that since December 2016 to May 2018 the Food Corpo ration of India (FCI) has 
posted on its website multiple contract notes for the sale of pulses (urad, moong, tar, masoor, 
channa) through e -auctions. Could India elaborate if there were successful bidders in each of these 
e-auctions and could India advise if these pulses were exported or released into the domestic 
market? How does the FCI take into account commercial considerations so that these volumes of 
pulses do not disrupt commercial markets?  
 
Question 3  
 
The Department of Consumer Affairs website ind icates that as of 8 September 2017, the National 
Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) of I ndia procured approximately 
1.2 million MT of pulses (urad, moong, tar, masur and chana). Could India elaborate if pulses 
acquired by NAFED are subse quently included in the e -auctions held by the Food Corporation of 
India?  Could India elaborate on the role of the NAFED in the inter -state movement and export of 
pulses?  
 
                                                
1 G/STR/N/14/IND, dated 30 November 2012.  G/STR/Q1/IND/16  
 
- 2 - 
 
  Question 4  
 
Canada notes that on 25 April 2018, India introduced an import restriction of 100,000 MT for 
yellow peas. Could India elaborate on the role of the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing 
Federation or the Food Corporation of India in this new restriction on the import of puls es?  
 
Question 5 
 
In reference to section 3.B, could India explain what is covered under the phrase "other conditions 
of purchase or sale" when pulses are imported and resold into India 's domestic market, or 
exported, by either the Food Corporation of Indi a (FCI), the National Agricultural Cooperative 
Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED), the Minerals and Metal Trading Corporation 
(MMTC  Ltd.), the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Ltd. (NCCF), Projects and 
Equipment Corporation of Ind ia Limited (PEC) and the State Trading Corporation (STC)?  
 
__________