Pulses to be costlier

The decision of Madhya Pradesh farmers to switch to soyabean crops had also hit domestic pulses production, he said. Pointing out that Gujarat depended totally on imported pulses, Patel said unseasonal rains had already damaged standing paddy crops in and outside the State, which had to have an effect on the prices.

Moreover, he said, the Centre had been sitting over the announcement of relaxations in customs duty on pulses import for almost two months. “This is responsible for the current price rise. When consultations on imports in a ministry go on for a long time, details are inevitably leaked out, which allows export cartels to jack up prices by the time the order lands”, he said.

As for rice, Patel said around 40 per cent of paddy crops in Ahmedabad district alone had been damaged in the unseasonal rains. “The situation in other districts is no better”, he said, suggesting that the Food Corporation of India clear its existing stocks within three months as new arrivals will begin from February.

Patel also urged the FCI to sell wheat to wholesalers on the condition that the same would be passed on only to retailers. At present, FCI sells wheat mostly to roller flour mills and to co-operative societies “which remain only on paper”, Patel alleged.

Echoing Patel’s views, Gulabbhai, a retail dealer in Navrangpura, said that the high prices had hammered down the demand for pulses in the retail market. “No one wants to buy at these high prices… The customers are hoping that new crops will reduce the prices”, he said.

Gulabbhai said the import duty relaxations had not had any effect on the retail market so far. “It’ll be some time before the benefit percolates down to the ultimate buyers”, he said.