August 12, 2010

India imports US$4.5 billion pulses

India imported more than 8 million tonnes of pulses worth over Rs21,000 crore (US$4.5 billion) in last three years to meet the domestic demand, the parliament was informed on Tuesday (Aug 10).

India is the largest producer of pulses in world, but is not self-sufficient in pulses. Indian Minister for Food and Agriculture Sharad Pawar said about 12-15% of the total pulse requirement are imported.

Pawar said the country had imported 8.8 million tonnes of pulses in the last three fiscal years and in terms of value, the total import during that period stood at Rs21,793 crore.

Import of pulses rose to 3.5 million tonnes in 2009-10 fiscal year from 2.48 million tonnes in the previous financial year. In value terms, the import was worth Rs9,813 crore in 2009-10 fiscal against Rs6,246 crore in 2008-09.

In the 2007-08 fiscal year, the total import of pulses stood at 2.8 million tonnes, a Rs5,374 crore in value terms.

Domestic production of pulses had been around 14-14.8 million tonnes in last three years whereas demand stood around 17-18 million tonnes during the same period, he said.