Chennai, August 27: The Tamil Nadu government will import 10,000 tonnes of toor dal from Canada and Myanmar that will be sold through the public distribution system, said Food Minister E.V. Velu here Thursday.
The state government has resorted to import as the demand for toor sold through the public distribution system has outstripped supply as it is cheaper than that available in the open market, Velu said.
In ration shops, toor is sold at Rs.32 a kg, in comparison to the around Rs.80 a kg in other stores.
“In 2007, when the government started to sell toor in ration shops, the demand was not much as its price in the open market was only marginally higher. But in recent times, with the open market prices going above Rs.80 a kg, majority of ration card holders have decided to buy the dal from the ration shops,” Velu told reporters after inaugurating Aahar, an international food and hospitality fair.
According to Velu, there are two crore ration card holders in Tamil Nadu, and 1.75 crore of them buy from ration shops.
Queried about complaints of diversion of toor to the open market by owners of ration shops, Velu said: “Next month a helpline will be introduced for the public to lodge complaints. We have conducted surprise audits of 400 ration shops.”
Meanwhile, the fourth edition of Aahar organised by the Indian Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) went underway with 80 exhibitors showcasing their products that ranged from pickles, packaged tender coconut water to hotel kitchen and laundry machines.
–IANS