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Buying pulses directly from farmers among govt steps to stabilise prices
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Ashwani Maindola, New Delhi
September 09 , 2016
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Ram Vilas Paswan, minister for consumer affairs and public distribution, claimed that the prices of pulses would stabilise soon. He said that the government initiated several steps for the same, including direct buying from farmers.
Paswan also stated that the government was in the process of making a buffer stock of pulses, for which they were being imported. He added, “The government has decided to buy a new crop of pulses directly from farmers, and thereby the prices would stabilise in the coming months.”
Earlier, the National Agriculture Cooperating Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) and the Food Corporation of India (FCI) were directed to submit state-wise road maps of procurement of new crop of pulses directly from farmers.
The agencies were also asked to start procurement of moong in Karnataka immediately at the minimum support price (MSP) plus bonus as new crop has started to arrive.
Chairing the inter-ministerial committee meeting on prices in New Delhi recently, Hem Pande, secretary, department of consumer affairs, asked the agencies to ensure direct payment to the farmers for procurement.
He added that procurement centres including mobile centres should be arranged near farm gates and that wide publicity should be given to the procurement price (i.e. MSP plus bonus), procurement, schedule and to the locations of the centres so that farmers get the benefit of the initiative.
Also, the government earlier ordered further import of 90,000MT pulses, consisting of 40,000MT masur, 20,000MT tur, 20,000MT desi chana and 10,000MT urad, for the buffer stock.
The decision to this effect was taken in a meeting of the Price Stabilisation Fund chaired by Pande recently.
With this order, the total import of pulses for buffer stock stands now at 1,76,000 MT. Domestic procurement of pulses also reached 1,20,000MT on August 23, 2016. The government agencies were also directed to gear up for the domestic procurement for the coming crop of pulses, which is expected to be good this year.
The meeting reviewed the procurement and distribution of pulses from the buffer stock. So far about 40,000MT have been allocated to the states from the buffer stock for distribution not more than Rs 120 per kg. These pulses are provided to the states – tur at the rate of Rs 67 per kg and urad at the rate of Rs 82 per kg.
The inter-ministerial committee on prices of essential commodities also today to review availability and prices of essential commodities.
The meeting observed that the prices of pulses have come down but have not reflected in retail. It was of the opinion that the states must be asked to take immediate action under the Essential Commodes Act to ensure that decline in prices is reflected in retail also.
As per government data, tur dal is available at Rs 170 a kg, urad at Rs 175 a kg, moong at Rs 130 a kg, gram at Rs 120 a kg and masoor dal at Rs 115 a kg in retail markets.
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