RAJYA SABHA
The first advance
estimate of foodgrains production for 2002-03 indicates the kharif
production of pulses at 4.24 million tonnes as against the production
of 5.09 million tonnes during kharif 2001-02, a decline of 17%
due to drought situation this monsoon.
The persisting gap
in demand and availability of pulses is, to a large extent, met
by imports. Imports of pulses are placed under OGL with a lower
import duty of 10% to augment its availability in the country.
Imports of 2.18 million tonnes of pulses during 2001-02 and 0.74
million tonnes for April-August, 2002 have helped in containing
the prices at reasonable levels.
This information
was given in Rajya Sabha today by Shri V. Sreenivasa Prasad, Minister
of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, in
reply to a question of Dr. Yadlapati Venkat Rao.
