Government extends zero import duty & agri-cess exemption on masur till March 2025

The government has extended current effective zero import duty on masur dal (lentil) till March 2025 in order to ensure steady supply of the key pulse from the international market and keep domestic prices under check.

However, the government has not extended the current import duty structure on three crude edible oils -- palm oil, soyabean oil and sunflower oil.

According to a finance ministry notification, the exemption of zero import duty on masur as well as agri-infra cess of 10 per cent has been extended till March 2025.

This exemption on masur was valid till March 2024.

"In some of the pulses, we don't produce as much as we consume. For stability of import policy, the current exemption has been extended on masur till March 2025 so that farmers of the producing countries get clear signal from India and plan their sowing," Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh told PTI.

The basic import duty on masur was reduced to zero in July 2021, while the exemption from 10 per cent agri-infrastructure cess was given in February 2022. 

Since then, it was extended multiple times and currently was valid till March 2024.

A finance ministry official said that the notification is only for extending zero duty and exemption of agri-infra cess for masur alone, not three crude edible oils.

India is the world's largest producer and import of pulses. It imported 24.96 lakh tonnes during 2022-23.