Farmers blame government for downswing in pulse prices.

The slump in pulse rates has left farmers, who were looking at reaping larger profits in 2016, agonised. Green gram (moong daal), the pulse that was selling at over Rs 8000 per quintal a month ago, was slashed to Rs 4000-4500 per quintal. According to government data, bumper produce of of pulses in 2016 lead to the reduction in prices.

Nanasaheb Patil, President of the Shetkari Kriti Samiti said, "Whenever farmers take their produce to the market, the prices go down and start increasing only once the stock is near over. Either way, we are always at the receiving end.

"Adding to our worries, the Central Government has imported 90000 tonnes of pulses this year, causing the rates to crash further since this entails the government buying the produce at minimum support price, which is Rs 5225 per quintal."

Tukaram Patil, a trader and farmer from Dhule said that in 2016 farmers had reaped a good harvest and they had been looking at the Government to take this opportunity to implement measures to bring us relief.

"India is the largest pulse producing country, yet the government imports large quantities every year from Canada, Australia and other African countries to bridge the gap in supply. If the government would implement measures to levy 20-30% taxes on the import, lift the ban on the export of pulses and subsidise it instead, it will help us immensely and regulate the price of our produce for the better. If steps are not taken soon, green gram producers will meet the same fate as that of onion producers, incurring heavy losses," he said.

In 2015, 2.12 million tonnes of pulses were produced which is expected to rise to 3.75 million tonnes in 2016. Sanjay Patil, a farmer from Jalgaon said that in 2015 he had sowed onion hoping to make a handsome profit out of it. The rates of the crop plummeted instead and led him to turn to growing pulses since the government was promoting the cause as well.

"I am really disappointed however, since our lot is suffering due to the abysmal price rates. Ever since the BJP came to power, none of the crops yielded a profit leaving us in a fix with regard to what we should sow," Patil said.

Source : dnaindia.com