Lentils, Oilseeds Data On Govt Radar Now

New Delhi: In a bid to check the price rise and ensure fair remuneration to farmers, the government has decided to regularly monitor the international trade of lentils and oilseeds. The trade division of the Ministry of Agriculture will compile data on the production and consumption patterns of lentils and oilseeds in the country every week. The division would also analyze the data to find out if there is any need for their import, official sources told Bizz Buzz.

This exercise will also guide decisions regarding the export of the produce. The analysis would include chana, arhar, masoor, etc. Experts will do the cost-benefit analysis for farmers and consumers, the sources said, adding that the experts would also recommend possible interventions that can be undertaken by the Ministry.

It may be mentioned that pulses and oilseeds have contributed majorly to keeping food prices high, thus impacting the retail inflation figure. This, in turn, has made the Reserve Bank of India’s stance hawkish over key bank rates.

The domestic consumption of edible oils has been increasing faster than production, leading to increased import dependence, Economic Survey 2023-24 said.

“To reverse this pattern and to stabilize domestic prices, it is important to make focused efforts to increase the production of major oilseeds such as sunflower and rapeseed & mustard, and explore the potential of non-conventional oils such as rice bran oil and corn oil.”

The Survey also talked about the issues related to lentils: “India faces a persistent deficit in pulses and consequent price pressures. Production of pulses is concentrated in a few states and districts in the country, and is vulnerable to biotic and abiotic stresses. More efforts are needed to expand the area under pulses, particularly lentils, tur, and urad, in more districts and rice-fallow areas. It is also worth considering promoting the summer cultivation of urad and moong in areas with assured irrigation facilities.”

The government hopes that regular monitoring of the production and consumption of lentils and oilseeds will improve the situation.