No delay in pulses import due to Bihar elections: Balyan

New Delhi: The Centre did not delay in importing pulses due to Bihar elections, Minister of State for Agriculture Sanjeev Balyan Saturday clarified.

He asserted that prices of lentils are expected to cool with arrival of kharif crop.

He was critical of the industry body Assocham for coming out with a study on prices of commodities like rice, sugar and pulses "without checking the ground reality".

Pulse prices have been ruling as high as Rs 180 per kg in the retail market across the country as their production slumped 2 million tonnes in the 2014-15 crop year on poor and untimely rains.

"There was no delay in the government's decision on pulses import due to recent Bihar elections. There were no lapses... There is domestic shortage and imports are being undertaken to boost supply," Balyan told reporters on the sidelines of an event on the World Fisheries Day.

He was replying to a query on whether the government delayed import of pulses as ministries concerned were busy in Bihar elections.

Balyan sought to clear the air further, saying mostly, the private sector imports pulses. But this year, the Centre purchased some quantity from overseas market to increase availability and check price rise.

The state-owned MMTC imported 5,000 tonnes of tur dal, which has been lifted by Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Odisha and Telangana governments.

Asked about Assocham's report talking about price increase in commodities like rice and sugar, Balyan said: "Assocham should check the ground reality before preparing the report."

Rice prices including basmati varieties have rather fallen. "If prices fall, what will farmers earn? We should also think about farmers," he said.

In the case of sugar, there should be some increase in prices to the extent that farmers get the right price for their produce, he added.