The Government has approved domestic procurement of 10 lakh tonnes of pulses consisting of 5 lakh tonnes of pulses from Kharif Marketing Season 2016-17 and 5 lakh tonnes from Rabi Marketing Season 2017-18 for building the buffer. This information was given by The Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Shri C.R Chaudhary while replying to a written in Rajya Sabha.
The Minister further informed that as on 21.11.2016, a buffer of 638,205.55 MT of pulses, viz. 130,492.33 MT of Chana; 204,030.859 MT of Tur; 143,555.76 MT of Masur; 83,181.792 MT of Urad; and 76,943.81 MT of Moong, have been built through domestic procurement and import contracts. Of the 20 lakh tonnes of buffer stock of pulses approved by the Government, the tentative target is 10 lakh tonne through domestic procurement from farmers and another 10 lakh tonnes from imports.