Govt to import 37,000 tonnes of pulses from Myanmar

NEW DELHI: The government will import 37,000 tonnes of pulses from Myanmar on a government-to-government basis and the consignment will arrive at Indian ports in May. ���The contract for import of 30,000 tonnes of black matpe (urad) and 7,000 tonnes of pigeon peas (tur) has been finalised and these pulses would arrive here in May,��� a top government official said.

���This import has been finalised by STC on behalf of the government as both India and Myanmar have agreed to trade pulses on a government-to-government basis.��� The entire quantity of tur would come in May, while urad would arrive in two tranches, the official said.

Last year, a delegation of Indian officials had visited Myanmar to finalise an agreement for importing pulses on a
government-to-government basis. STC is the nodal agency for this purpose. Under the government-to-government imports, the risk of price escalation is minimised as India has agreed to pay the market rate for the pulses, instead of floating tender, an expert said.

���Since the Government of Myanmar is the supplier, it has to export the pulses at a particular price agreed by both the countries,��� he said. India imports mainly tur urad and rajmah from the neighbouring country.