The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : TNCSC plans to import 10,000 tonnes of lentil

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 30, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

TNCSC plans to import 10,000 tonnes of lentil

T. Ramakrishnan

It is expected to reach State by early November

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) plans to import 10,000 tonnes of lentil from Canada or the U.S.

It has placed orders for 6,000 tonnes and the consignment is expected to reach the State by early November, according to an official in the State Food and Civil Supplies Department. The last date for submission of documents for the latest tender is October 7.

The imported lentil, after due process, will be made available through the public distribution system. Toor dhal is given to people at a rate of Rs.32 per kg.

On an average, the State’s demand is in the range of 30,000 to 40,000 tonnes a month, of which 11,000 tonnes are provided per month through the PDS. As nearly 25 to 30 per cent of the demand is met by the government, the pressure on the open market to that extent comes down and this helps in moderating the price, the official explains.

On the price front, the official is hopeful that the price level will come down sooner or later as there is an increased coverage of the crop in the country and the production is expected to be higher this time. In view of the deficient rainfall in the early part of the south-west monsoon this year and the consequent heightened demand from India, the prices in the international market went up.

Noting that Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh are the major suppliers of pulses, the official emphasises the need to give greater impetus to the production of pulses in Tamil Nadu. This will help stabilising the price level of pulses.

Another measure is that the Centre could allow States to import pulses directly and extend subsidy (which is given in the case of imports by Central organisations) to such imports, a point stressed by Food Minister E.V. Velu at the State Food Ministers’ conference in New Delhi last month.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu