Lok Sabha Question No. 48 (STARRED), answered on 2022-07-20
Subject: Import of Pulses
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Balubhau (Alias Suresh Narayan) Dhanorkar

## Government of India

## Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Department of Consumer Affairs

## LOK  SABHA

STARRED QUESTION NO. *48

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.07.2022

## IMPORT OF PULSES

## *48. SHRI BALUBHAU ALIAS SURESH NARAYAN DHANORKAR: SHRI M. SELVARAJ:

Will  the  Minister  of CONSUMER  AFFAIRS,  FOOD  AND  PUBLIC  DISTRIBUTION miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) whether any steps are likely to be taken by the Government to ensure that the cost of imported pulses remains at or above par with MSPs;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government intends to offer export subsidies to pulse traders in India in view of low domestic prices of pulses and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government proposes to review its open import policy of tur and urad pulses; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=h ¼Jh ih;w"k xks;y½

THE MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a) to (e)  :   A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

*****

## STATEMENT REFERRED IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF  LOK  SABHA  STARRED QUESTION NO.*48 FOR 20.07.2022 REGARDING IMPORT OF PULSES.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(a) & (b) :  Import policy of pulses is formulated on the basis of close and continuous monitoring of domestic production, availability and prices scenario including landed cost of imported stocks vis-à-vis MSP  by  the  Inter-Ministerial  Committee  (IMC)  comprising  of  Department  of  Consumer  Affairs, Department  of  Food  and  Public  Distribution,  Department  of  Agriculture  and  Farmers'  Welfare  and Department of Commerce. The decisions regarding opening or restriction of imports and the rates for import duties are done keeping the interests of both the domestic farmers and the consumers.

(c) :     There is no proposal to offer export subsidies for pulse traders.

(d) & (e)  :    The Government has kept import of tur and urad under 'Free Category' till March 31, 2023 after carefully analysing production, availability, prices and market conditions to protect the interest of domestic farmers while ensuring adequate availability at reasonable prices for all the consumers across India.

The  Department  of  Consumer Affairs monitors the daily retail  and wholesale prices of 22 essential food commodities, including tur and urad, submitted by the 184 price monitoring centres that have  been  set  up  with  Central  assistance  by  State  Governments  and  UT  Administrations  across  the country. Taking into account price trends, the Government takes various measures from time to time to augment  domestic  availability  and  stabilize  prices  of  essential  food  commodities  and  make  them accessible to the consumers, including marginalised communities, at affordable prices. These steps, inter alia,  include  releases  from  the  buffer  to  cool  down  prices,  imposition  of  stock  limits,  monitoring  of stocks declared by entities to prevent hoarding as also requisite changes in trade policy instruments like rationalization of import duty, changes in import quota, restrictions on exports of the commodity etc.

*****