India to export surplus of all pulses

The decision comes after the Centre on Thursday removed the prohibition on “export of all types of pulses” which was imposed due to country’s import dependence for the protein-rich food item. However, healthy production and massive buffer stock accumulated during 2016-17 brought down the import dependence for pulses substantially. 

“The CCEA (Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs) has approved the removal of prohibition on export of all types of pulses,” Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said after a meeting of the Union Cabinet here. The move will give the farmers greater choice in marketing their produce and lead to improved incomes.

The CCEA empowered the committee chaired by Secretary, Department of Food and Public Distribution, to review the “export or import” policy on pulses.

The CCEA’s rationale behind the decision stems from the fact that exports will help farmers to dispose of their products at remunerative prices and also encourage them to expand the area of sowing. “Export of pulses would provide an alternative market for the surplus production of pulses,” CCEA said. 

In 2016-17 production year, the India produced 23 million tonnes of pulses. The government alone procured two million tonnes and ensured minimum support price or market rates, whichever was higher, directly from the farmers. The target for pulses production in 2017-18 has been fixed at 22.90 million tonnes.