The Hindu Business Line : Pulses imports may touch record 2.5 mt; decline seen in output

THE country's import of pulses is likely to hit an all-time high of 2.5 million tonnes (mt) during 2004-05. This follows an expected 2-mt decline in domestic output.

An indication of the shipments taking place this year is provided by the vessel `Great Prestige' from Vancouver (Canada), which recently docked in the Mumbai Port, carrying a 44,460-tonne consignment of yellow and green dry peas.

The cargo discharged by the vessel, which arrived on December 16 and set sail on January 2, was imported by Poona Dal and Besan Mills of Mumbai and Mr Ramjilal Rajendra Prasad, a Delhi-based trader.

"This is the single largest bulk pulses consignment to have arrived in the country. The normal vessels handle only 20,000-25,000 tonnes," Mr Kailash C. Bhartia, President of Pulses Importers Association, said. According to him, the latest landing marks a "significant milestone".

The country's total pulses production touched a record 15.24 mt in 2003-04. Output is likely to be much lower this year, mainly due to a drought in major pulses growing States.

The Agriculture Ministry has estimated the kharif crop at 4.69 mt, which is below last year's 6.33 mt. While the prospects are brighter for the rabi season, the cumulative acreage reported so far this year, at 117.36 lakh hectares, is lower than the progressive area sown at 121.81 lakh hectares last year.

The main rabi pulse - gram (chickpea) - also registered a drop in area, from 69.66 lakh hectares to 66.77 lakh hectares.

On the whole, domestic production is slated to be in the 13-13.5-mt range, necessitating higher imports.

During 2003-04, the country officially imported 1.70 mt of pulses, valued at Rs 2,251.16 crore, though the trade puts the quantity higher at 2-2.2 mt. According to Mr Bhartia, imports this year will definitely cross last year's levels.

The country's traditional pulses suppliers have been Myanmar (for arhar or pigeon pea, urad or black gram, mung or green gram and rajma or kidney bean), Australia (for chana or desi chickpea) and Turkey (for masur or lentil and kabuli chickpea).

But in recent years, Canada has emerged as a big import source, particularly for dry peas (yellow and green) and even masur.

Imported yellow peas from Canada (safed matar in local parlance) have especially become popular because they are relatively cheaper, making them an effective substitute for desi and kabuli chana and arhar. For the same reason, yellow pea flour, too, is finding increasing use as an adulterant in regular chana flour or besan.

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