New Delhi, Jan 12,2023: In order to control domestic prices of pulses due to possible shortfall in production owing to weather and the ‘wilt’ disease, the government will import around 10 lakh tonnes of tur dal in the current marketing year (December-November) and also enhance its buffer stock limit, source said on Thursday.

It has also been decided to import pulses through open licencing till March 31, 2024, the top sources said.

To import pulses, government has begun negotiations with several countries, the sources said, adding that inspection norms for pulses have also been relaxed.

The decision was taken during a review meeting over prices of essential commodities, called by the Cabinet Secretary.

Tur production is estimated to be lower at 3.89 million tonnes in the 2022-23 crop year (July-June) from 4.34 million tonnes in the previous year, according to Agriculture Ministry projections.

Sources informed that there could be a shortfall in production of tur dal owing to weather conditions and a disease called wilt in Gulbarga area of Karnataka, therefore the government plans to import the commodity.

Tur dal is mainly imported from east African countries and Myanmar.