June 20, 2007	Wednesday	Jamadi-us-Sani 04, 1428

KARACHI, June 19: The import of pulses is expected to fall to 260,000 tons during this calendar year, from 460,000 tons imported in the last year, due to improved local production of some pulses to meet the consumption demand.

It is estimated that the combine local production of pulses will be 907,000 tons as against the projected consumption demand of 1.16 million tons this year.

The demand for desi chic peas (black gram or kaala channa) is estimated to be 650,000 tons, while the local production stands at 700,000 tons, leaving a surplus of 50,000 tons. Last year, the production was just 300,000-350,000 tons.

An estimated 15,000 tons of green mung beans will be surplus this year as its production is estimated at 125,000 tons as against consumption of 110,000 tons.

Around 95,000 tons of lentils (masoor) are estimated to be imported this year due to low production of 25,000 tons, while demand stands at 120,000 tons.

According to a study carried out by the Karachi Wholesale Grocers Association (KWGA), some 55,000 tons of black matpe (mash) will be imported this year due to low production of 20,000 tons as against consumption of 75,000 tons.

Some 30,000 tons of kabuli chic peas will be brought from various countries to meet the consumption of 60,000 tons as compared with local production of 30,000 tons. Around 43,000 tons of Red kidney beans (lal lobia) will be imported to meet the local demand of 50,000 tons while domestic production is estimated at 7,000 tons.

Consumption of yellow peas/don peas is estimated at 100,000 tons which will be entirely imported due to negligible local production.

Desi chic peas accounts for 77 per cent of aggregate production and 57 per cent of aggregate consumption of pulses in the country, the KWGA study says. Green mung peas makes up for 14pc of production and nine per cent of consumption.

Lentils accounts for three per cent of production and 10 per cent of consumption. Black mapte makes up for two per cent of production and six per cent of consumption. Kabuli channa chic peas accounts for three per cent of production and five per cent of consumption.

This year the country has enough desi chic peas, previously it has been imported from Australia, Canada, Ethiopia and Tanzania. Green mung is imported from Australia, China and Myanmar, while import of kabuli channa is met from Myanmar, Iran, India, Turkey, Australia and Canada. Masoor arrives from Canada, Australia, India, Turkey, Nepal and Ethiopia. Black mapte has been procured mainly from Myanmar with little quantity from Thailand.

China is preferred as main supplier of kidney beans while imports are also managed from Ethiopia and Myanmar in case of short crop in China. Canada mostly supplies yellow peas while some quantities from France and Ukraine are also imported.

The study notes that pulses are marginal crops mainly grown in rain fed areas of Punjab, upper Sindh, Bannu and D.I. Khan with low input use levels.

The government last year had provided a subsidy of Rs8 per kg on import of one million tons of desi chic peas to meet the demand and stabilise the prices in local markets.

This year due to surplus production some 25,000 tons of desi chic peas had been exported to the Middle East and Gulf countries despite 35 per cent export duty on pulses. However, the government had put a ban on export of pulses in order to stabilise prices.