Buy potatoes, onions, pulses from local market, farm ministry advises states

In a move aimed at offloading the burden of price rise of essential commodities from common people, the Agriculture Ministry has asked states to buy potatoes, onions and pulses from <g data-gr-id="63">local</g> market to stabilize the price fluctuations. “To avoid the last minute rush to control price escalation, the Centre has asked states to buy the essential food items on <g data-gr-id="46">priority</g> basis. The Centre will provide 100 per cent financial support to states to purchase the food items meant for common people,” Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said.

Also the ministry will provide 50 per cent financial assistance to agencies on buying the produce at <g data-gr-id="36">lower</g> price. “It has been seen that on over production, the prices of food items falls by 10 <g data-gr-id="34">per cent</g>. It has been found that under such situation agencies buy the agricultural produce reluctantly at MSP, so the Centre has decided to bear the 50 per cent cost of the total purchase by the rest to be borne by buying agencies,” Singh said.

Earlier in the day, the government said that it was considering importing 5,000 tonnes of urad dal to improve domestic availability and check price rise. Retail prices of most pulses, including <g data-gr-id="38">tur</g> have breached Rs 100 per kg mark in most parts of the country due to supply crunch in the wake of a decline in domestic production by nearly two million tonnes in 2014-15 crop year (July-June) on account of unfavourable weather conditions earlier this year.

“From June onwards, generally we see <g data-gr-id="45">rise</g> in prices of some essential commodities. We have already seen <g data-gr-id="44">increase</g> in prices of pulses. To boost supply, we are considering <g data-gr-id="43">import</g> of 5,000 tonnes of urad,” Consumer Affairs Secretary C Viswanath said addressing a meeting of state food ministers on the issue of price rise.

Already, a tender has been floated for import of 5,000 tonnes of tur dal (pigeon peas) and shipment are expected to reach by September, he said. To ensure adequate supply in the country, the government has banned <g data-gr-id="30">export</g> of pulses except for <g data-gr-id="29">kabuli</g> chana and organic pulses and lentils up to 10,000 tonnes, Viswanath added.

The official also said good monsoon and relatively high support prices of pulses compared to other crops is encouraging farmers to sow pulses in more area in this <g data-gr-id="28">kharif</g> season, which could also help check prices of lentils.