Declare MSP, buy entire dal yield to push output: Panel

NEW DELHI: The government must announce minimum support price (MSP) for pulses in advance, create assured market for farmers and procure the entire produce as it is done in the case of paddy and wheat, a parliamentary panel has recommended to push the production of pulses in the country.

In its last meeting, members of the consultative committee on food and consumer affairs also suggested the government announce MSP before harvesting starts and bring the supply of pulses to people under public distribution system ( PDS), particularly to those living below poverty line (BPL).

India requires approximately 22-23 million tonnes (MTs) of pulses for domestic consumption while the annual production has never crossed 19 MTs. Rather it fell to 17.2 MTs in 2014-15 causing huge shortage of pulses and pushing prices up abnormally to Rs 200 per kg in the open market.

In fact, the import of pulses in recent years has increased from 3 million tonne to 5 million tonne. This is likely to go up as the sown area under pulses has so far been 136.4 lakh hectares in comparison to 140 lakh hectares.

A couple of members of the parliamentary panel said unless there is an increase in production, there is little hope of dal remaining affordable throughout the year. “When we produce 80% of the world’s total pulses how can we find a solution to our problem by importing from other countries?” one of them asked.

Sources said some of the members of the parliamentary panel have also suggested that government should reduce import of pulses and rather spend the saved amount to provide aid to growers in the form of providing seeds and fertiliser at cheaper rate. They have argued that the cost of production has gone up in recent years.

The members have also recommended that procurement from farmers should be at market price.