India imposes 30% import duty on yellow peas

The central government late Wednesday night finally imposed a 30 per cent effective import duty on yellow peas from November 1, announcing the step after months of speculation to check unrestricted imports and stem the fall in prices of domestic pulses.

- SANJEEB MUKHERJEE

Coming ahead of the rabi-sowing season, the duty also seeks to shore up chana prices that have dropped sharply in the past few weeks.

Chana is the largest pulse crop grown in India, sowing of which will begin in the next few days. The import duty on yellow peas was scrapped in December 2023, and the results were there to see immediately.

According to trade sources, mandi prices of chana rose by %50-100 per quintal on Thursday in most markets due to the import duty while that of tur rose by %25-50 per quintal.

There was no change in mandi prices of urad between Wednesday and Thursday while masoor rates rose by almost %100 per quintal between the two days.