Govt may extend duty-free yellow pea imports by 2 months

The government is considering extending duty-free import of yellow peas for a few more months, possibly until February, to help lower prices and address shortages of tur (pigeon pea) and chana (gram), two people familiar with the matter said.

- Dhirendra Kumar

An official notification to this effect is expected soon, as duty-free import of yellow peas is currently allowed until the end of December.

The proposed move comes against the backdrop of lower yield expectations for tur in some of the major tur-growing states and is a short-term measure to stabilize prices for essential pulses. This is particularly relevant as the harvest of tur—a kharif crop—begins in December and January.

"The extension will be for only a few months to keep the prices of pulses stable," the first person said.