Pulses, edible oil imports may rise on likely output dip: Government

NEW DELHI: The country may have to import more quantity of pulses and edible oils this year as sowing area under these crops in the current kharif season is less due to poor rain, the government said today.

Due to deficient monsoon, pulses acreage remained down at 8.83 million hectare so far in the kharif season, against 9.97 million hectare in the same period last year. Oilseeds were also sown in slighly less area at 16.42 million hectare against 16.99 million hectare in the review period.

"In view of lower acreage under pulses and oilseeds in the current kharif season, the import of pulses and edible oils is likely to go up this year," Food Minister K V Thomas said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

Lower acreage may have impact on production of pulses and oilseeds. The supply-demand gap may have to be matched by a higher level of imports, he said.

However, no specific estimation has been made with respect to overall likely import of pulses and edible oils this year, he added.

On an average, the country has imported about 2.5-3-5 million tonnes of pulses and 8-9 million tonnes of edible oil in the last three year, the minister said.

India imports pulses mainly from Myanmar, Australia and Canada, while edible oils are purchased from Indonesia, Malaysia, the US and Argentina.

Monsoon deficit is 14 per cent so far. Poor rains has affected sowing of almost all kharif crops and has led to increase in prices of some commodities.

Last year, pulses production stood at 17.21 million tonnes and oilseeds at 30 million tonnes.