Lok Sabha Question No. 2955 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-20
Subject: Import of Pulses
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: BOORA NARSAIAH GOUD, SUKHBIR SINGH JAUNPURIA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2955 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20 th  MARCH, 2017

## IMPORT OF PULSES

## 2955.  DR. BOORA NARSAIAH GOUD: SHRI SUKHBIR SINGH JAUNAPURIA:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE & INDUSTRY ( वािणÏय एवं उɮयोग मंत्री ) be pleased to state:

- (a) the total quantity of pulses imported into the country during the last three years and the current year along with the rates at which pulses have been imported during the said period;
- (b) whether the Government proposes to import pulses to cater to the domestic demand and if so, the details thereof along with the scheme, if any, prepared to check the prices of pulses;
- (c) whether  there  are  any  Government-to-Government  agreements  to  import  pulses from other countries and if so, the details of such agreements entered into during the said period and those which are proposed;
- (d) the reasons for not having buffer stock policy for pulses in the country as we have for paddy and wheat;
- (e) the  details  of  MSP  and  bonus  given  to  various  kinds  of  pulses  during  the  period year-wise, rabi and kharif crop-wise and variety-wise; and
- (f) whether there are any plans to have crop-neutral incentive structure like wheat and rice and if so, the details thereon?

## ANSWER

okf.kT; ,oa m|ksx jkT; ea=h ¼Jherh fueZyk lhrkje.k½ ¼Lora= izHkkj½

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) (SMT. NIRMALA SITHARAMAN)

- (a) The total quantity of pulses imported into the country during the last three years and the current year along with the rates at which pulses have been imported during the said period is as under:

| 2013-14   | 2013-14   | 2013-14      | 2013-14     | 2014-15   | 2014-15   | 2014-15      | 2014-15     | 2015-16    | 2015-16      | 2015-16     | 2016-17(APRIL JANUARY)*   | 2016-17(APRIL JANUARY)*   | 2016-17(APRIL JANUARY)*   | -           |
|-----------|-----------|--------------|-------------|-----------|-----------|--------------|-------------|------------|--------------|-------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|-------------|
| QTY TON   | IN        | VALUE IN INR | Rate in KGS | QTY TON   | IN        | VALUE IN INR | Rate in KGS | QTY IN TON | VALUE IN INR | Rate in KGS | QTY TON                   | IN                        | VALUE IN INR              | Rate in KGS |
| 3643705   |           | 12793        | 35.11       | 4584843   | 17063     | 37.22        |             | 5797702    | 25619        | 44.19       | 5420652                   |                           | 23550                     | 43.44       |

(Source: DGCI&S)/* Provisional

(b) to (d)  :  The  decision  of  the  Government  to  import  pulses  towards  building  buffer  stock  is  guided  by domestic price and availability position.  In view of the bumper production of kharif pulses, no import is being undertaken by the Government other than those already contracted when prices and availability position were difficult.  For building buffer stock of pulses, Government through MMTC contracted import of 70,000 MT of Desi Chick Peas during 2016-17 of which only 52,315 MT arrived.  The Government has approved creation of buffer stock of pulses upto 20 lakh tonnes under Price Stabilization Fund (PSF).  In addition, the Government has signed a Memorundum of Understanding (MOU) with Mozambique for import of pulses on Governmentto-Government (G2G) basis during 2016-17.

(e)& (f) The details of MSP and bonus given to various kinds of pulses crop-wise (rabi and kharif) and varietywise for the last three years and current year is given below.  The higher MSPs of pulses is for diversifying the areas from other crops.

| Commodity     | Crop Year   | Crop Year   | Crop Year           | Crop Year   | Crop Year   | Crop Year           | Crop Year   | Crop Year   | Crop Year           | Crop Year   | Crop Year   | Crop Year           |
|---------------|-------------|-------------|---------------------|-------------|-------------|---------------------|-------------|-------------|---------------------|-------------|-------------|---------------------|
|               | 2013-14     | 2013-14     | 2013-14             | 2014-15     | 2014-15     | 2014-15             | 2015-16     | 2015-16     | 2015-16             | 2016-17     | 2016-17     | 2016-17             |
|               | MSP         | Bonus       | MSP including Bonus | MSP         | Bonus       | MSP including Bonus | MSP         | Bonus       | MSP including Bonus | MSP         | Bonus       | MSP including Bonus |
| KHARIF CROPS  |             |             |                     |             |             |                     |             |             |                     |             |             |                     |
| ARHAR(Tur)    | 4300        | -           | 4300                | 4350        | -           | 4350                | 4425        | 200         | 4625                | 4600        | 450         | 5050                |
| MOONG         | 4500        | -           | 4500                | 4600        | -           | 4600                | 4650        | 200         | 4850                | 4775        | 450         | 5225                |
| URAD          | 4300        | -           | 4300                | 4350        | -           | 4350                | 4425        | 200         | 4625                | 4550        | 450         | 5000                |
| RABI CROPS    |             |             |                     |             |             |                     |             |             |                     |             |             |                     |
| GRAM          | 3100        | -           | 3100                | 3175        | -           | 3175                | 3425        | 75          | 3500                | 3800        | 200         | 4000                |
| MASUR(LENTIL) | 2950        | -           | 2950                | 3075        | -           | 3075                | 3325        | 75          | 3400                | 3800        | 150         | 3950                |

(Source: Directorate of Economics & Statistics)

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