India eyes increased import of pulses from Australia and Brazil to curb price surge

By Abhimanyu Sharma

India is looking to further ramp up import of pulses from Australia and Brazil to augment domestic availability and keep retail prices in check. Terming trade in pulses with both these countries as “uniquely advantageous”, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution explained that their contrast in cropping seasons vis-à-vis India allows these countries to plan their cropping pattern based on India’s crop prospect.

Brazil has emerged as a supplier of Urad pulses in the recent years, and the government feels that the South American country can potentially become a major source of India’s Urad and Tur imports.

The quantity of Urad import from Brazil has increased from 4,102 metric tonnes (MT) in the calendar year 2023 to over 22,000 MT till the end of October itself in 2024.

Julio Cesar Ramos, Vice Secretary of Commerce and International Relations with Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock met India’s Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare in New Delhi today to discuss further modalities of growth of bilateral trade in pulses.

In case of Chana pulses, the arrival of fresh crop from Australia since the last week of October has augmented domestic availability and helped in dampening prices in the primary markets.

After India notified duty free import of Chana in May 2024 following lower than expected rabi crop production, Australia had responded with a massive increase in the sowing area for Chana as the period coincided with sowing season there.

The Ministry highlighted that Australia’s Chana production in the current year is estimated at 13.3 lakh tons compared to 4.9 lakh tons in 2023, with the increase aimed at hiking exports to India.

This article has been republished from The CNBCTV 18.