ECONOMY

Good rains, higher output likely to slash FY25 pulses imports to 45 lakh tonnes

India’s import of pulses may decline to around 45 lakh tonnes this financial year from 47.38 lakh tonnes in the previous year, as a good monsoon is likely to result in higher domestic production and lower retail prices, India Pulses & Grains Association (IPGA) Chairman Bimal Kothari has said.
The IPGA has also demanded that the government should frame a long-term policy for the Rs 2.5-lakh crore pulses market, as frequent changes in policies hurt the interest of all stakeholders. It also demanded imposition of Customs Duty on yellow peas.
Mr Kothari has said that the country had imported 16 lakh tonnes of masoor dal last financial year. “We need only 10 lakh tonnes of imports of masoor dal,” he has added.
He also said that imports of yellow peas may also fall from 2023-24 level.
“This year monsoon rains have been better. Pulses acreage has gone up in Kharif season. The domestic production is expected to rise,” Mr Kothari has said.
The IPGA chairman has said that prices of pulses in wholesale markets have come down in the last one month and are expected to ease further. Tur prices have come down by Rs 20 per kg in wholesale markets in the past one month.
“Pulses prices will not increase this year, rather it will keep falling,” Mr Kothari has added.

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