Import of pulses may drop by about a tenth to around 3 million tonnes (mt) next fiscal on a larger chana (gram) crop this year.
“The current chana crop is higher by about 15 per cent over last year. This may lead to lower imports at around 3 mt in 2013-14,” said Pravin Dongre, President, India Pulses and Grains Association.
He estimates the current year imports at around 3.3 mt, about 10 per cent higher than the previous year. India, the largest producer, consumer and importer of pulses mainly sources from countries such as Canada, Australia, Myanmar and the US.
The output of pulses in the current year is expected to be around 17.58 mt, about half a million tonne more than last year, according to the Agriculture Ministry’s 2{+n}{+d} Advance Estimates.
The increase in output, despite drought affecting parts of Karnataka and Maharashtra, is largely on account of projected record chana harvest pegged at 8.57 mt. Last year, chana output stood at 7.7 mt.
Imports
India still relies on imports to meet the growing demand as pulses account for a major source of proteins for a large populace. Rising income levels coupled with the adequate availability and lower prices of pulses are seen aiding the consumption trend.
Though the daily per capita consumption has declined to 25-30 gm from around 70 gm in the 1960s, the total quantity of pulses consumed by the country has gone up.
The growing demand for pulses is also a cause of rising food inflation, a fact acknowledged by Finance Minister P.Chidambaram in his Budget speech. India imported pulses worth Rs 8,767 crore ($1.8 billion) in 2011-12, a 16.4 per cent rise over previous year.
Import duty
The Government has been trying to encourage production of pulses, but the efforts have not paid off significantly. The Commission for Agriculture Costs and Prices (CACP) has suggested to the Government to levy 10 per cent import duty on pulses and open up exports to encourage domestic production.
Presently, there is no import duty on pulses, while exports of many varieties are banned. CACP believes that imposing 10 per cent duty on imports would enhance domestic output by attracting more irrigated areas under pulses. Indirectly, such a move would result in saving on fertiliser subsidy as pulses are nitrogen fixing and help towards stabilising production.
Vishwanath.kulkarni@thehindu.co.in