Importers offer to supply dal for Rs. 135

“We would not like to stop at 40,000 tonnes and would like to be a more regular buyer in the domestic pulses market”, said a senior government official. “Therefore, importers should be exempted from the stockholding limit”, Praveen Dongre, chairman of the Mumbai-based Indian Pulses and Grains Association, told reporters after the meeting. This takes the total seizure of pulses so far to 50,656.79 tonnes following 3149 raids across 10 states.

To give relief to common man from skyrocketing prices of pulses, Dongre said that the Association has offered to supply 1,00,000 kg (100 tonnes) of imported tur dal at Rs 135 per kg on a daily basis to the government agencies.

Earlier this month, the Centre imposed stock limits on traders, importers and even departmental stores to check hoarding and improve supplies in the market.

A maximum quantity of 30,373 tonnes was seized in Maharashtra, followed by 5,967.34 tonnes in Karanataka, 4,525.19 tonnes in Chhattisgarh, 2,546 tonnes in Telangana, 2,295 tonnes in Madhya Pradesh, 2,151.44 tonnes in Rajasthan, 1,932.07 tonnes in Haryana, 859.87 tonnes in Andhra Pradesh, 4.32 tonnes in Tamil Nadu and 2.44 tonnes in Himachal Pradesh, the statement added. This has had a salutary effect on the prices of pulses in the wholesale market but the impact in the retail market is yet to be felt.

There were a series of meetings by the government chaired by Mr. Jaitley as well as Union Cabinet Secretary P.K. Sinha on Friday to take stock of the situation. IPGA also stated that the import of pulses could be hampered by the re-instated stock limits. Prices of several varieties of pulses have doubled over the past year, primarily due to a shortfall in production in 2014-15 and expected dip in production due to a rain deficit this year.

Stating that importers have already contracted 25 lakh tonnes of pulses for delivery till January and about 2.5 lakh tonnes are lying at ports, he said, “Any kind of restriction will dry the pipeline”. There is also global shortage of lentils.

In Delhi, tur and urad were quoted at Rs.178/kg and Rs.154/kg, higher by almost 120 per cent and 86 per cent, respectively, from a year ago. Average prices of other pulses varieties were between Rs. 100 and Rs. 150 per kg. Arhar is being sold at Rs 120. The government is in the process of importing another 3,000 tonne of pulses, he said.