New Delhi, Sep 14 (IANS): Ahead of the festive season, the Centre on Monday announced that 10,000 tonnes of pulses and 2,000 tonnes of onions would reach the domestic markets by October 20.

The announcement came after the second review meeting of the inter-ministerial committee on prices and availability of essential food items held in the national capital.

State-run Metals and Minerals Trading Corporation of India (MMTC) apprised the committee that 2,500 tonnes of the imported Tur (pulse) would arrive in three tranches at Chennai port and similar quantity of the commodity would reach at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) in four tranches beginning from September 23.

The public sector trading firm, which handles trading of primary products such as coal, iron ore, and manufactured agro, also informed that 5,000 tonnes of Urad (pulse) from Myanmar would be received at the Chennai port and JNPT.

The union ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution said in a statement that the entire consignment of 5,000 tonnes of Tur and 5,000 tonnes of Urad would be received by October 20.

In addition, 2,000 tonnes of onions in two tranches would reach JNPT in Mumbai by the third week of October, well ahead of the festival period.

"These imports are expected to improve the availability of pulses and onion and moderate their prices," the statement said.

To further improve the availability, the government has also approved import of an additional 5,000 tonnes of Tur. MMTC has already floated a tender of procurement on September 11 with the bid opening on September 21.

The trading firm also floated a tender for import of 1,000 tonnes of onion on September 11. The bid would be opened on September 18.

In the wake of states indicating their inability to process imported unmilled pulses, the government has advised the MMTC to float a tender for milling Tur and Urad.

"This would ensure quicker uptakes by the states and also its distribution to consumer," the statement said.