Centre allows pulses import despite overflowing godowns

Centre allows pulses import despite overflowing godowns

News:

1. The government allows pulses import despite surplus stocks.

Important facts:

2. The centre has allocated quotas for import of pulses and enforcing additional imports agreements with Mozambique.
3. The allocations of quotas were made at the Directorate-General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) meeting.
4. Agriculture Commissioner predicts domestic pulses production of 24 million tonnes in 2018-19 because of good monsoon.
5. good production leads to fall in prices of pulses
6. Allocation of quotas:

• For Tur or arhar Dal: 2 lakh tonnes
• Moong and Urrad: 1.5 lakh tonnes

7.Reasons given by the government  behind this decision:

• Balancing the needs of Indian consumers
• Fulfilling the Commitments to foreign trade partners
• However, the farmer’s groups are not happy with the government’s decision and agitating about falling crop prices.

8. Agreements signed

• In 2016, India signed an MoU to double pulses imports from the East African nations.
• This obligates India to buy 1.5 lakh tonnes from Mozambique this year.
• The government has also explored the possibility of similar agreement with Kenya.