After stock limits, India to import 12 lakh tonnes of tur dal to keep prices in check

Subject: Schemes

Concept :

In order to address the shortage of tur dal and curb its rising prices, the government plans to increase import of the pulse by 35 per cent to 12 lakh tonnes in the current fiscal year, reported news agency PTI.
As per the report, Tur dal (pigeon peas) production has witnessed a decline, with the country producing 30 lakh tonnes in the 2022-23 crop year (July-June), compared to 39 lakh tonnes in the previous year.
Consumers Affairs Secretary also said to check the prices of tur the government has taken several measures, as per the report.
The stock limit imposed on traders, millers, and importers on June 2 has helped bring down the prices of tur.

Tur Dal

Tur dal and Arhar dal both are the same and are commonly known as pigeon peas. The size of Tur dal is small and oval in shape, mostly in a yellow colour.
Tur dal is a dicotyledonous seed that belongs to the legume family. However, Arhar dal comes in a variety of colours such as brown, yellow and variegated.
Arhar dal has been believed to have originated from the geography of India where they are identified as red grams and presently grown in massive amounts throughout subtropics and the tropics of Asia.

Essential Commodities Act 1955

The ECA Act 1955 was legislated at a time when the country was facing a scarcity of foodstuffs due to persistent low levels of foodgrains production.
The country was dependent on imports and assistance (such as wheat import from the US under PL-480) to feed the population.
To prevent hoarding and black marketing of foodstuffs, the Essential Commodities Act was enacted in 1955.
Essential Commodity:
There is no specific definition of essential commodities in the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.
Section 2(A) of the Act states that an “essential commodity” means a commodity specified in the Schedule of the Act.
Legal Jurisdiction:
The Act gives powers to the central government to add or remove a commodity in the Schedule.
The Centre, if it is satisfied that it is necessary to do so in the public interest, can notify an item as essential, in consultation with state governments.
Objective:
The ECA 1955 is used to curb inflation by allowing the Centre to enable control by state governments of trade in a wide variety of commodities.
Impact:
By declaring a commodity as essential, the government can control the production, supply, and distribution of that commodity, and impose a stock limit.