Agri Min. Proposes Increasing Import Duty on Tur Dal to 20 percent

The Agriculture Ministry has moved a proposal for hiking the import duty on tur dal to 20 percent from the earlier 10 per cent which was slapped in March. The proposal has been mooted out to check steep fall in wholesale prices, discourage overseas purchase and boost farmers’ morale high.

Earlier on March 28 the finance ministry had imposed the import duty to protect domestic growers.  But it has failed to make much impact.

India comes lauded as the world’s largest pulses producer. Tur dal accounts for 15 per cent of the total 22 million tonnes of pulses output in the country.