Big Relief for Farmers! Restrictions on export of all types of pulses removed

New Delhi, November 16: To remove the prohibition on the export of all types of pulses has been approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This will ensure that farmers have greater choice in marketing and in getting better remuneration for their produce.

 

The export or import policy on pulses will be reviewed and consider measures such as quantitative restrictions, prior registration and changes in import duties depending on domestic production and demand, domestic and international prices and international trade volumes by the CCEA empowered Committee headed by the Secretary of Department of Food and Public Distribution.

After removing the embargo on pulses the farmers sell their products at remunerative prices and also encourage them to expand the area of sowing. An alternative market for the surplus production of pulses will be provided through exporting and also help the country and its exporters to regain their markets.

It is predicted that the production of the pulses will be continued in the country which will also lower down the import dependence of pulses. This step will work towards nutritional security which will lead to providing higher levels of protein to the population. The global supply chain integration will help the farmers in adopting good agricultural practices and better productivity.

The Indian farmers have produced 22.95 million of pulses in the production year of 2016-17 as they had lived up to the challenge of reducing India's import dependence on pulses. To endure the high pulses production by the farmers, the government took many steps. The Government has obtained 20 lakh tons of pulses by certifying minimum support price or market rates, whichever is higher, directly from the farmers and this has been the highest ever procurement of pulses.

The pulses production of 2016-17 was the highest ever till date for which the government supported the farmers with the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for the pulses and public procurement of pulses to the tune of 20 lakh tonnes. The Chana Dal (Gram) production was 9.33 million tonnes as compared to 7.06 million tonnes in 2015-16 showing a growth of 32%. The production of other rabi pulses (includes Masoor Dal which is called Lentil etc.) for 2016-17 was 3.02 million tonnes as compared to 2.47 million tonnes in 2015-16 showing a growth of 22%. For the year 2017-18, a target of 22.90 million tonnes of pulses production has been fixed by the Government.