Pulses Cargoes Stuck At Kolkata Port Yet To Get Clearances From Customs

MUMBAI (Commoditiescontrol) – Kolkata customs has not yet given clearances to pulses cargoes stuck at Kolkota port since last one month despite cargoes are being cleared at other ports such as, Chennai, JNPT, Tuticorin.

Kolakata customs is reportedly not giving clearances mainly in line with Supreme Court decision on Jan 29 this year. The Supreme Court had refused to stay the restrictions earlier imposed by the Centre on pulses imports on a plea of Gujarat-based trader. The same trader had earlier approached the Gujarat High Court but the latter had refused to stay the pulses import restrictions order.

Now, most of the cargoes are out of free period and are under demurrage and detention in Kolkata.

It is reported that importers are incurring demurrage of thousands of dollar per day.

Pulses market has been in a bad shape since the last two-three years due to the detention of such large cargoes- resulted in blocking of a lot of money and the additional burden of demurrage will put more pressure on pulses trade.

Importers are now hoping that quantitative restriction of 1,00,000 MT/quarter will automatically get extension on 1st April as Model code of conduct is in force owing to general election and government will not make any major changes in existing policies. In such a scenario, they hope to get clearances under the restriction quota of 1,00,000 MT.

Earlier, commerce ministry had extended the import restrictions on peas for another three months till March 31, 2019.

The government of India (GOI) had revised the import policy for yellow peas from ‘free’ to ‘restricted’ category for a period of three months from April 1 to June 30, 2018, restricting imports to 100,000 Mt and it had been extended every quarter since then.

Approximately 500-600 container of pulses (350/400 containers of White Pea and 150-200 containers of Urad) are still pending at Kolkata port, awaiting customs clearances against bank guarantee. Around 12000 MT of Ukraine White Pea, 4000/5000 MT of Canada White Pea and another vessel from Canada around 50,000 MT is also waiting for customs clearance.

(By Commoditiescontrol Bureau; +91-22-40015513)