NEW DELHI: India's pulses import on government account is at least 30 per cent short of the target during 2008-09 fiscal, which traders say is a major factor for the current spiral in domestic prices. As India needs to import about 30 lakh tonnes of pul ses in a year to meet domestic demand, the government had set a target (for itself) of importing half of these in 2008-09.
However, according to the latest official data, public sector trading firms -- STC, MMTC and PEC -- and agri cooperative Nafed contracted to import 10.25 lakh tonnes of pulses in 2008-09. These firms were asked by the government to import 15 lakh tonnes of pulses in 2007-08 also, out of which they had actually contracted for 13.51 lakh tonnes.
“When the global prices were higher than domestic prices, it adversely impact on imports,'' said Mr K C Bhartiya, President of Pulses Importers Association of India. During 2008-09, the actual arrival of pulses was even lower at 8.06 lakh tonnes. Intere stingly, these firms have disposed off 3.84 lakh tonnes of the imported pulses, which is less than 50 per cent of the arrival.
Interestingly, edible oil purchases rose by over 77 per cent to 34.34 lakh tonnes during November-March period, compared with 19.34 lakh tonnes in a year-ago period, SEA data showed. On the contrary, import of non-edible oil declined by 52 per cent to 1 .58 lakh tonnes during the review period, it said.
Source : Business Line