| Date: |
05-01-2016 |
| Subject: |
Imports of pulses to begin early this year: Ram Vilas Paswan |
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PUNE: Government will begin import of pulses early this year and try to import more pulses than previous year, said union food and consumer affairs minister Ram Vilas Paswan.
"This year, we will try to begin the imports early. Government imports must be more than private imports so that we don't have to depend on private importers," said Paswan, when asked about how his government will try to avert the pulses crisis, which is likely to continue tin 2016 as well.
Paswan said apart from shortage in supply, speculation too played in part in keeping pulses prices high. "Importers purchased pulses and stocked them there (countries of origin) or at the ports. We had imposed stock limit on importers also. But in the federal polity, it is the responsibility of the state government to implement," he said.
Maharashtra government had removed the stock limit on pulses in 2015, just before the prices started rising, while it exempted importers from the stock limit after prices shot up to Rs 200/kg in retail. The minister said production of pulses in 2014-15 declined to 170 LT from 192 lakh tonne in 2013-14, while imports were 35 lakh tonne in 2013-14 and 45 lakh tonne in 2014-15.
"The demand is expected to increase from 226 lakh tonne in 2014-2015 to 235 lakh tonne in 2015-16. To make pulses available as per the demand is the only way to keep prices controlled," he said.
Source : economictimes.indiatimes.com
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