Huge import of lentils can affect domestic production

05-Sep-2024 06:01 PM

New Delhi. If the huge import of cheap lentils from abroad at zero duty continues, its domestic production is likely to be affected. Lentil is a major pulse crop of the Rabi season and its sowing is going to start in October-November. On the one hand,

the minimum support price (MSP) of lentils has been increased to Rs 6425 per quintal to encourage farmers, while on the other hand, its duty-free import from abroad has also been allowed.

Its import cost is around Rs 5300 per quintal. Due to this, Indian farmers are suffering huge losses.

The minimum support price of lentils is expected to be increased to around Rs 6800 per quintal for the Rabi season of 2024-25, but if a huge stock of cheap pulses imported from abroad remains in the domestic division,

then this increase in the support price will not prove to be very helpful for Indian farmers. The Agriculture Ministry has announced to buy lentils along with tur and urad at the minimum support price and has not fixed any fixed quantity for purchase.

This may provide some relief to the farmers. The policy of duty free import is not only causing loss of revenue to the government but is also sending a wrong message to Indian farmers.

Approving cheap imports by increasing the support price is a contradictory policy. It is surprising that the government buys lentils imported from abroad at a high price to create buffer stock.

This raises the question that why and for whom is duty free import of lentils being allowed? This policy is not conducive to self-reliance.