Kharge Slams Centre Over Tur Dal Imports, Alleges Betrayal of Karnataka Farmers
Kharge accused the Modi-led government of neglecting the country’s agrarian economy and abandoning the promise of doubling farmers’ income
Kalaburagi: Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge has strongly criticised the Union government for flooding the Indian market with cheap, low-quality tur dal imports, alleging that the move has severely undermined domestic farmers, particularly those in Karnataka.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Kharge accused the Modi-led government of neglecting the country’s agrarian economy and abandoning the promise of doubling farmers’ income. He took aim at BJP leaders from Karnataka, especially Union Ministers, for remaining silent on the issue and failing to safeguard the interests of their own state’s farmers.
“A decade ago, the BJP came to power with grand promises of doubling farmers’ incomes and building an Atmanirbhar Bharat. Today, those promises lie in ruins,” Kharge said. “BJP’s Union Ministers from Karnataka appear more focused on peddling hate than standing up for the rightful interests of the state they represent.”
Karnataka is the largest tur dal-producing state in India, contributing over 40 percent of national output, with Kalaburagi district alone producing the majority of the state's yield. The region is known for the GI-tagged Kalaburagi Tur, prized for its quality.
Kharge pointed out that in the 2024–25 season, India produced 35 lakh metric tonnes of tur, but the Centre procured less than 10 percent of it. Karnataka alone produced 10 lakh quintals, but farmers were forced to sell at ₹6,000 per quintal—well below the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of ₹7,550—resulting in an estimated loss of ₹1,550 crore.
"This year’s MSP has been raised to ₹8,000, but market prices have crashed to ₹6,250, nearly half of last year’s rates," Kharge said. "Why? Because the Centre is flooding the market with cheap, low-quality tur from abroad, turning its back on our farmers.”
He also criticised the Centre’s decision to keep tur imports duty-free since May 2021, a policy extended until March 2026. According to Kharge, over 13 lakh metric tonnes of tur were imported in 2024–25, and the government has signed MoUs to bring in an additional 2 lakh metric tonnes from countries like Mozambique.
Kharge cited the Centre's own Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) report, which noted Karnataka had demanded an MSP of ₹16,548, based on a production cost of ₹11,032. However, the Centre fixed the MSP at ₹8,000.
Calling the Centre’s import policy “shocking” and “anti-farmer,” Kharge demanded immediate corrective measures to protect the livelihoods of Indian farmers and restore price stability in the market.
