With India importing more than 3 million tonnes (mt) of pulses annually, while production has increased significantly, the government sees the gap between demand and supply continuing. This is as production continues to grow as demand for protein-based foods increases and economic growth targets $5 trillion over the next few years. Speech at Pulses 24 , a global three day event organized by Global Pulse Confederation (GPC) in collaboration with Santosh Kumar Sarangi, Director General, Foreign Trade, Nafed, New Delhi. said that in 2016-17, India produced only 17 million tonnes (mt) of pulses, but now it has increased to 25-26 million tonnes.
But despite this significant increase in pulses production, India could not bridge the gap, he said, between supply and demand. He said the prime minister has set a target of growing the economy to $5 trillion from the current $3.7 trillion in the next few years.vegetables every year for the past two years. This year, we have already exceeded the limit of 3 million tons of imports. This suggests that in the pulse growing region of the world, be it African countries, Brazil, Australia, Canada or Russia, they all have a well-defined target for pulses in India.
So in this context, India has used its EXIM for pulse growers.-policy in a way that gives assurance. He said that in different regions of the world where the pulse grows, India’s policy on assurance. Sarangi also highlighted MoUs with three African countries, assuring them of a certain off take even if there are import restrictions in India. Besides, the government has extended the free import policy regime till March 31, 2025. “This should give a fair deal of certainty to the growing regions to grow pulses and meet the demand in India.