India, world’s biggest producer of pulses, extends export ban

Thursday, 30 December 2010 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Reuters: India, the world’s biggest producer and consumer of pulses, has extended a ban on pulses exports until further order, Farm Minister Sharad Pawar, said on Tuesday, as it battles to rein in high food prices.

The Government had in June 2006 banned exports of pulses, which has a weightage of 0.72 per cent in the wholesale price index.

India’s food price index rose 12.13 per cent in the year to 11 December, Government data on Thursday showed.

The federal Government has also decided to extend the imports of duty-free pulses “until further order”.

India’s annual pulses demand is pegged at over 18 million tonnes, while production in 2009/10 was at 14.6 million tonnes, making the country a net importer.

India, the world’s top sugar consumer, has also extended stock limit on sugar for three additional months as crushing got delayed due to unseasonal rains. The stock limit was to expire on 31 December.

“There will be comfortable position in sugar. We are expecting 24.5 million tonnes sugar output this year as against demand of 22 million tonnes,” said Pawar.

The Farm Minister also said the federal Government has allocated additional five million tonnes of grains to states in an attempt to check rising food prices.

The Government has allocated 2.5 million tonnes of rice and wheat to poor families, and an equivalent quantity of the grains to families above the poverty line.

“The states can lift this quantity from tomorrow,” said Pawar.

India grows only one wheat crop a year, with planting in October and harvesting during March-April.

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