India imports pulses, builds buffer stock to keep prices under check.

NEW DELHI: India imported 13,000 tonnes of pulses so far and more are in the pipeline, the government said on Tuesday, as it seeks to keep the prices and supplies of this protein-rich dried seeds steady.

Besides, state-run agencies procured 51,000 tonnes of kharif and 60,000 tonnes rabi pulses so far for buffer stock, the government said in a news release after an inter-ministerial committee meeting held to review prices of essential commodities.

It didn't specify when it started the imports or local procurement. In December, the government had decided to create a buffer stock of pulses.

The 13,000 tonnes that already arrived comprised 11,000 tonnes of tur and 2,000 tonnes of urad. Delivery of another about 6,000 tonnes of pulses is in the pipeline.

State governments have been urged repeatedly to seek allocation of pulses from the buffer stock to sell at reasonable prices, which should not be more than Rs 120 per kg, said the release.

Tamil Nadu , Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Telangana have been allocated pulses after they requested for it. These states are further subsidising the price, it added. In Delhi, kendriya bhandars and Mother Dairy's Safal stores have been allocated supplies.

The Food Corporation of India has about 32 million tonnes of wheat in its stock against the public distribution scheme requirement of about 24 million tonne, it said. "The government has already sanctioned about 6.25 million tonnes of wheat for open market sale operations during the current financial year."

To ensure that onion farmers got remunerative prices, the Small Farmers' Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) and National Agricultural Co-operative Marketing Federation (Nafed) have procured 15,635 tonne onions so far, it said.

Source : economictimes.indiatimes.com