Lok Sabha Question No. 11 (STARRED), answered on 2015-07-21
Subject: Price of Pulses
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: ADHIR RANJAN CHOWDHURY, ADVOCATE NARENDRA KESHAV SAWAIKAR

**Government of India**

## Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution

**Department of Consumer Affairs**

**LOK SABHA**

##### STARRED QUESTION NO. *11

##### TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.07.2015

**PRICE OF PULSES**

*11. 	SHRI ADHIR RANJAN CHOWDHURY:

ADV. NARENDRA KESHAV SAWAIKAR:

**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 the price of pulses has shown an upward trend during the last one year and the current year, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;

(b)	whether the Government proposes to import pulses during the current year so as to improve availability and check prices particularly in view of the likely fall in production on account of predictions of shortfall in monsoon;

(c) 	if so, the details thereof indicating the production, demand and import of pulses during each of the last three years and the imports proposed during the current year along with the other steps being taken to check its hoarding/ blackmarketing and prices; and

(d)	whether the Government has formulated or proposes to formulate a long term strategy to check the rising prices of pulses as well as to protect the interest of the farmers?

**ANSWER**

**miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=ky; ea=h**

**¼Jh jke foykl ikloku½**

**THE MINISTER OF**

**CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION**

**(SHRI RAM VILAS PASWAN)**

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

# 

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**STATEMENT REFERRED IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.*11 FOR 21.07.2015 REGARDINGPRICE OF PULSES.**

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(a) :	During the last year, there was an increase in the prices of all major pulses except Chana dal, which showed a decline. However, in the current year (upto July, 2015), all major varieties of pulses have shown an increase in prices, as shown below.

| **All-India Monthly Average Prices of Major Pulses during last year**  (Jan-Dec)  **and  current year**  (Jan-July)   |          |         |          |                |                         |                          |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------|---------|----------|----------------|-------------------------|--------------------------|
| **In Rs/kg**                                                                                                          |          |         |          |                | **Variation (in %)**    |                          |
| **Variety**                                                                                                           | **2014** |         | **2015** |                | **2014**  **(Jan-Dec)** | **2015**  **(Jan-July)** |
|                                                                                                                       | **Jan**  | **Dec** | **Jan**  | **Jul***       |                         |                          |
| **Chana dal**                                                                                                         | 49.58    | 45.48   | 46.97    | 59.91  (46.36) | -8.27                   | 27.55  (-6.49)           |
| **Arhar dal**                                                                                                         | 70.02    | 75.65   | 77.13    | 97.83  (70.35) | 8.04                    | 26.84  (0.47)            |
| **Urad dal**                                                                                                          | 64.35    | 76.27   | 77.97    | 99.19  (72.75) | 18.52                   | 27.22  (13.05)           |
| **Moong dal**                                                                                                         | 78.78    | 96.02   | 98.14    | 99.68  (86.69) | 21.88                   | 1.57  (10.04)            |
| **Masoor dal**                                                                                                        | 59.07    | 71.8    | 74       | 82.03  (66.31) | 21.55                   | 10.85  (12.26)           |
| Note: Figures in parenthesis refers to corresponding period of 2014  **Source:- States/UTs Civil Supplies Deptts.**   |          |         |          |                |                         |                          |

*Latest Available

The upward trend in the price of pulses is due to decline in production on account of adverse weather conditions. As per the 3 rd Advance Estimates for 2014-15, the production of pulses has come down to 17.38 million tonnes during 2014-15 as against 19.25 million tonnes during 2013-14 i.e.  a decline of 9.71 per cent.

(b) :	In order to augment domestic availability and stabilise prices of pulses, Government has taken a decision to import 5000 metric tonnes of Arhar/Tur.

(c):  	The requisite details of production, demand and import of pulses over the last three years is as shown below.

| **Pulses**                                                     | **2012-13**   | **2013-14**   | **2014-15**   |
|----------------------------------------------------------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
| **Production (in million tonnes)**                             | 18.45         | 19.25         | 17.38         |
| **Imports (in million tonnes)**                                | 4.01          | 3.65          | 4.58          |
| **Demand (in million tonnes)**                                 | 20.90         | 21.77         | 22.68         |
| **Sources:- DES,MOA;DGCIS,MOCI;12**  **th**  **FYP, NitiAyog** |               |               |               |

The following steps have been taken by the Government to check hoarding/blackmarketing.

1. Authorized States/UTs to impose stock limits from time to time in the case of select essential commodities such as pulses, edible oil, and edible oilseeds for a period up to 30.9.2015.

1. Advisory to State Governments issued to take action against hoarding & black marketing and effectively enforce the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 & the Prevention of Black-marketing Maintenance of Supplies of Essential Commodities Act, 1980.
2. National Consultation Meeting of the Ministers of States/UTs in-charge of Consumer Affairs and Food held on 7 th July, 2015, New Delhi also recommended sustained action against hoarding and black-marketing to control prices of essential food items including pulses.

(d):   For enhancing domestic production of pulses, Government is implementing a number of plan schemes/programmes like National Food Security Mission-Pulses (NFSM-Pulses), Rashtriya KrishiVikasYojana (RKVY), Macro Management of Agriculture (MMA) and Integrated Scheme of Oilseeds, Pulses, Oil Palm & Maize (ISOPOM). In addition, Government has also increased the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Kharif Pulses for 2015-16 by Rs 275 per quintal for Urad and Ahar, and by Rs 250 per quintal for Moong.

To increase availability and check the rise in price of pulses, Government has reduced import duties to zero for pulses; banned export of pulses (except Kabuli chana and organic pulses & lentils up to a maximum of 10000 tonnes per annum); approved a Plan Scheme titled Price Stabilization Fund (PSF) with a corpus of Rs. 500 crores for regulating price volatility of agri-horticultural commodities.

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