Lok Sabha Question No. 1139 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-17
Subject: Export of Pulses
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: RAJESHBHAI NARANBHAI CHUDASAMA, GOWDAR MALLIKARJUNAPPA SIDDESHWARA

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1139 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17 th  DECEMBER,2018

## EXPORT OF PULSES

1139.  SHRI RAJESHBHAI CHUDASAMA: SHRI G.M. SIDDESHWARA:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE & INDUSTRY ( वा ͨणÏय एवं उɮयोग मंğी ) be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  removed  the  prohibition  on  export  of  all  types  of pulses;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  taken  steps  to  ensure  availability  of  pulses  at affordable prices in the country while according permission for pulses' exports;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the extent to which these steps are helpful?

## ANSWER

okf.kT; ,oa m|ksx ea=ky; esa jkT; ea=h ¼Jh lh- vkj- pkS/kjh½

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY)

- (a) & (b) Yes, Madam. The Government has removed the ban on export of all varieties of pulses,  including  organic  pulses  without  any  quantitative  ceilings  on  22 nd November, 2017. There are various factors which led to removal of ban on export of pulses, which include:
- (i) The domestic production of pulses, which was stagnating at about 14-15 million tonnes till  2009-10 had reached 22.95 million tonnes in 2016-17 which was the highest ever and the production of pulses in 2017-18, was expected to sustain at the same levels;
- (ii) While  the  Government  supported  the  farmers  by  providing  attractive  Minimum Support Price (MSP) for the pulses and public procurement of pulses to the tune of 20 lakh tonnes, there were reports of market procurement price of pulses falling below the MSP due to the increased production of pulses;
- (iii) There were demands from various stakeholders to allow export of pulses to enable the farmers to get a better realization; and
- (iv) There was adequate buffer stock of pulses to meet the domestic requirement at affordable prices.

(c) & (d) The Government has taken several steps to ensure availability of pulses at affordable prices in the country, which include:

- (i) Government  has  approved creation  of  a  buffer  stock  of  upto  20  lakh  tonnes  of pulses;
- (ii) About  20.50  lakh  tonnes  of  pulses  were  procured  for  the  buffer  stock,  which includes 16.71 lakh tonnes procured domestically and 3.79 lakh tonnes imported during the financial year 2015-16 and 2016-17, which has helped in moderating the prices of pulses;
- (iii) Pulses from the buffer are released / disposed off through various channels such as supplies  to  States/UTs,  open  market  operations,  supplies  to  various  central Ministries/Departments implementing schemes having nutrition components like MDM, ICDS etc., supplies to Army, CPMFs etc.
- (iv) Government has set up an Empowered Committee under Secretary, Department of Food & Public Distribution, comprising Secretaries of Department of Commerce, Department  of  Agriculture,  Cooperation  &  Farmers  Welfare,  Department  of Revenue,  Department  of  Consumer  Affairs  and  DGFT    to  regularly  review  the export/import  policy  on  pulses  and  consider  taking  measures  depending  on domestic production and demand, domestic and international prices and international trade volumes.

(e) The creation of buffer stock of pulses, its disposal operations and bumper production of pulses during 2016-17 and 2017-18 have inter-alia helped in moderating the prices of pulses and ensuring its availability in the domestic market.