India to import Myanmar’s black gram, pigeon pea in two months

India is reportedly to bring in 400,000 tonnes of pigeon pea (tur) and one million tonnes of black gram (urad) from Myanmar in two months (January and February) in 2024 to curb rising prices in the domestic market, citing a report by the Economic Times.
India is forecast to face a decline in pulse output compared to that of the previous year. Subsequently, India is bound to import pulses. India’s government extended the stock limit on pulses to avoid price hikes and have fair prices for the consumers until the end of December 2023 from 30 October.
Additionally, India eased the import tax on pigeon peas in March and raised imports from Africa and Myanmar, causing the price to rise compared to last year.
As pigeon pea (tur) is commonly consumed across India, there are 4.5 million tonnes of pigeon pea annual requirements, Bimal Kothari, chairman of the India Pulses and Grains Association, stated.
There will be no sudden price increase upon pulses import, Kothari stated.
India is the primary market for Myanmar’s pulses. Myanmar’s commercial attaché in Kolkata, India, suggests preparations for a consignment of 1.4 million tonnes of those pulses to India in January and February. — NN/EM