Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE be pleased to state:-

(a)  whether Government propose to import pulses in the near future to improve the supply and price position for consumers in the country;

(b)  if so, the quantity proposed to be imported and the country from where to be imported with the CIF, thereof at the port of landing; and

(c)  whether Government have decided the mechanism for their distribution to the consumers and if so the details thereof?

ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE
(SHRI KANTI LAL BHURIA)

(a): Yes, Sir.

(b) & (c): The Government has taken a decision allowing the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED), Mineral & Metals Trading Corporation Ltd, PEC Ltd and State Trading Corporation (STC) to import 1.5 million tonnes of pulses such as Urad, Tur, Moong, Gram and yellow peas. The latest details of import of pulses by these four agencies are given in the Annexure. The imported pulses will be sold by these agencies through public tenders to augment availability in the domestic market.

ANNEXURE

Annexure to the reply to Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4001 for 11.05.07

By Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar regarding ‘Import of Pulses’

The price is representative as it varies with contract to contract, variety of pulses, etc.