National

India to purchase pulses from Myanmar

NEW DELHI: The Cabinet on Thursday authorised the Department of Consumer Affairs to finalise the framework for government-to-government purchases with Myanmar of up to 10 lakh tonnes of pulses to augment domestic availability and check prices.

The department will designate an agency and a team of experts to negotiate a “pre-determined” price for the pulses to be imported.

The decision for government-to-government purchases would strengthen bi-lateral relations.

India is hoping that such an arrangement would allow them some concession in the prices of pulses, the export of which otherwise is entirely in the private sector in Myanma. This would ensure assured availability of pulses at pre-determined price, Ministry sources said.

Myanmar produces nearly two million tonnes of pulses and exports about 1.2 million tonnes, of which India accounts for 75 per cent. However, recently Pakistan, Sri Lanka and China have also sought to import from Myanmar. The country exports urad, green moong, tur and peas.

Despite being the largest producer of pulses annually, India imports between 2.5 million to 3 million tonnes almost every year to bridge the gap between demand and supply.

In 2007-08 the pulses output was 15.1 million tonnes but the demand hovers around 17.5 million tonnes prompting the need to export. There has been no change in the situation for the last two decades due to lack of breakthrough in new varieties.

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