Government caps toor daal imports to 2 lakh MT per annum

NEW DELHI: In a move to shore up domestic prices of pigeon pea (toor daal) amid high production, the government on Saturday capped its import at two lakh tonnes a year.

"The restriction will not apply to government's import commitments under any bilateral/regional agreement," Directorate General of Foreign Trade said in a notification.

India is world's largest importer of lentils and buys pigeon pea from Tanzania, Mozambique, Myanmar and Malawi.


Last year, India signed long-term contracts with various countries for import of pulses to augment domestic availability of pulses in India and thereby stabilise its prices.

For Mozambique alone, the agreement includes targets for exports of pulses to India for five financial years and aims at doubling the trade from 100,000 tonnes in 2016-17 to 200,000 tonnes is 2020-21.