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NEW DELHI (Commoditiescontrol) - The Centre on Thursday raised import duty on chana (chickpeas) to 60 percent from 40 percent and also levied a 40 percent duty on imports of kabuli chana to curb cheaper shipments and ensure remunerative prices to domestic growers that have fallen sharply in view of record production of pulses to nearly 24 million tonnes this year.
The notification issued by the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) mentioned, "Seeks to increase BCD tariff rate on Chickpeas, [Tariff item 0713 20 0] from 40% to 60% by invoking section 8A (1) of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975".
As per the government data, the country has imported 50.8 lakh tonnes of pulses during April-December of this fiscal, while it has 1.8 million tonnes of pulses in its buffer stock. During 2016-17 fiscal, 66.08 lakh tonnes worth Rs 28,523 crore pulses were imported, while imports stood at 57.97 lakh tonnes worth Rs 25,619 crore in 2015-16 and 45.8 lakh tonnes worth Rs 17,062 crore in 2014-15.
In a bid to to restrict cheap inward shipments and maintain domestic prices, the Centre had earlier imposed a 30 percent duty on imports of chana and masoor on December 21 last year, which had followed a 50 percent duty on yellow peas imports on November 8. The duty on chana was raised again to 40 percent on February 6.
As per Agriculture Ministry second advance estimates, total Pulses production during 2017-18 is pegged at record 23.95 million tonnes which is higher by 0.82 million tonnes or 3.50 percent than the previous year’s production of 23.13 million tonnes. Moreover, the production of pulses during 2017-18 is higher than the Five years ‘average production by 5.10 million tonnes.
Chana production is also estimated to rise by 1.77 million tonnes or 18.34 percent to 11.10 million tonnes in 2017-18, from 9.38 million tonnes achieved in 2016-17.
According to mandi-wise data maintained by the Agriculture Ministry, the average price of chana at many places are now hovering around Rs 36,00 per quintal as against the MSP of Rs 4,400 per quintal (including Rs 150 a quintal bonus).
(By Commoditiescontrol Bureau; +91 9582843581)
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