The Centre has amended the import policy for pulses allowing free imports of tur (arhar/red gram) and urad (black gram) till March 31, 2023. The move is aimed at ensuring adequate supplies at reasonable prices.

In a notification, the Director-General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said the ‘Free Import’ policy of urad and tur shall stand extended up to 31 March 2023.

The pulses trade in India and Myanmar, a key supplier have welcomed the move, while the domestic growers are upset, stating it would impact the prices. Tur prices, which were hovering below the minimum support price level of ₹6,300 per quintal, have started inching up in the recent days, while urad ruling above the MSP levels.

Bimal Kothari, Vice Chairman, The Indian Pulses and Growers Association (IPGA), welcoming the government’s move said, “It’s definitely a well planned decision which will benefit the trade and industry as well as consumers. IPGA has been in constant dialogue with the various ministries to recommend a consistent and stable import policy and we are glad that this notification for a 12 month period is a step in that direction.”

Further, Kothari said “We have imported over 22.6 lakh tonnes of pulses in 2020-2021. We still need about 10-12% pulses imports for increased consumption. There were concerns over the scarcity of Tur and Urad which would have impacted the prices. The current prices of Tur and Urad are above MSP. This notification will certainly control the prices to a certain extent. Production of Tur is around 40,00,000 tons and NAFED does not have the stock. Tur is selling above MSP price around ₹67-68. We were expecting the prices to increase but since the imports are opened up, we will be able to import around 2 - 2.5 lakh ton tur from Myanmar. Additionally, the crops from Africa will harvest in August 2022 and the yield is likely to be very good. This will supplement our demand in September which is the festival period in India as our crop will harvest only around December and would have created shortage.”

Kothari also said that there is no crop of Urad before September in India and prices have increased t by ₹7-8 per kg in the last one month. “Burma is the only supplier of Urad to India and they have harvested a very good crop and the production is expected around 7 - 8 lakh tonnes. India imports Urad from Myanmar regularly to meet the gap between demand and supply. Hence the extension of OGL is a strategic move by the government and will help in stabilising the supply and prices,” he added.

However, Basavraj Ingin, President of the Karnataka Pradesh Red Gram Growers Association, said the Government’s latest move is against the farmers’ interests and will impact the prices. “We will press for a change to protect the growers interest,” he said.

Modal prices of toor in growing regions such as Kalaburgi, Karnataka ruled at ₹6,000 per quintal, below the MSP level on Tuesday. However, in some markets like Bidar and Raichur the modal prices were above MSP levels. Similarly, the modal prices in Latur and Nagpur in Maharashtra were also hovering above the MSP levels at ₹6,625 and ₹6,338 per quintal, respectively.

Shyam Narsaria, President, Overseas Agro Traders Association, Myanmar, said “OATA Myanmar and all its members applaud and welcome the Indian Government’s proactive step in making this announcement now as the extension of the free import policy will definitely prove an incentive to increase sowing. However, we do hope and pray that the Government adheres to this policy till March 2023 as any sudden change in policy mid-way proves to be disastrous for the farmers and for the trade stakeholders in Myanmar as well as India.”

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