India introduces an E-Portal to acquire tur pulses, aims to cut imports

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation in India, Amit Shah, is set to inaugurate an electronic portal on January 4, 2024, designed to purchase tur pulses at prices exceeding the market rates

The central objective of this e-portal is to facilitate the registration of existing stocks that farmers are looking to sell.

Government-supported cooperatives such as NAFED (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India) and NCCF (National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India) will be responsible for procuring the pulses using a dynamic pricing formula.

The objective is to motivate farmers through generous compensation, establish a buffer stock, and curtail imports. According to government projections, India is expected to import 12 lakh tonnes (LT) of pulses in the current fiscal year, marking an increase of over 35% compared to the previous fiscal year.

Centre’s decision follows extensive discussions between the Ministry of Cooperation and the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution on the matter.