NEW DELHI : Pulses exporters and traders have urged the government to reintroduce cash subsidy on exports of pulses to help farmers at a time when chana, or chickpea, prices have slipped much below minimum support price (MSP) due to a record production.

Pulses industry associations have written to the Commerce and Agriculture Ministries, seeking a cash subsidy of 10% to boost exports of chana that is being sold at Rs.43 per kg at the farmgate level against an MSP of 

Rs. 52.30 per kg. The government had two years back withdrawn a cash subsidy of 7% on pulses exports.

Chana occupies about 35-40% of area under pulses cultivation and accounts for about 50% of total pulse production in the country. In 2021-22, the country produced 13.1 million tonnes of chana.

“A cash subsidy will help increase exports and help farmers get MSP,” said Mr. Bimal Kothari, Chairman of Indian Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA), apex body of pulses and grains trade and industry in the country. “We are awaiting a reply from the government.” He said there is a huge stock of chana in the country even after the government has procured 26 lakh tonnes of it. Also, sowing of kharif pulses crop is underway and monsoon is expected to be good this year, which will increase the production of pulses in the country, Kothari said.