Indian Ban on Lentil Exports Causes Price Jump

[Guest guest]

http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/2006-08-15-voa6.cfm

<http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/2006-08-15-voa6.cfm>

 

Indian Ban on Lentil Exports Causes Price Jump

15 August 2006

Download MP3

<http://128.11.143.113/mediaassets/specialenglish/2006_08/Audio/mp3/se-a\

g-lentils-15aug06.mp3> [audio clip]

Listen to RealAudio

<http://128.11.143.113/mediaassets/specialenglish/2006_08/Audio/ram/se-a\

g-lentils-15aug06.ram> [audio clip]

 

 

 

This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

 

[Classic lentils, left, and red lentils] Classic lentils, left, and

red lentilsStaple crops provide foods that are an important part of the

diet. For example, rice is a staple crop in much of Asia. An Eastern

European staple is the potato. The lentil is just such a crop for many

South Asians.

 

The lentil plant is known for its seeds, which grow inside a protective

covering, or pod. Lentils, or dal, are extremely important to Indian

cooking. Soups and other foods are made with dal.

 

In the United States, prices for Indian lentils have increased by one

hundred percent or more in recent months. Some stores sold all their

lentils and have been unable to get more.

 

A poor harvest has been blamed for the shortage of dal in India.

Reports say people started to hold back supplies. Recently, the

Associated Press reported that prices for things like lentils and sugar

rose more than twenty percent in India.

 

Rising prices caused the Indian government to ban exports of lentils in

June. India is not expected to end the ban until next year.

 

India's effort to control inflation has not only led to high prices

in the United States. Reports from Bangladesh say that country is also

experiencing higher prices for lentils. Many South Asian communities

around the world also have been affected.

 

India and Canada are the world's biggest producers of lentils. The

Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations says India

produced about one million metric tons last year. But Indian farmers

grow many different kinds that are not grown in other countries. That

is why many people of Indian ancestry want to cook with Indian dal

instead of other lentils.

 

People have grown lentils for more than five thousand years. The plant

is probably native to southwest Asia and then spread to Egypt and East

Asia.

 

Lentils are a very healthy food. They contain up to twenty-five percent

protein. Because of this, they are extremely important in cultures that

do not eat meat. Lentils are also good for the soil. Their roots are

home to bacteria that put nitrogen, an important plant food, into the

soil.

 

In India, lentils are usually planted in November. After harvest, the

lentil plant makes excellent fertilizer. Often, other crops are planted

on the same fields as part of a crop rotation.

 

And that's the VOA Special English Agriculture Report, written by Mario

Ritter. Transcripts and archives of our reports are at

voaspecialenglish.com. To send us e-mail, write to special (AT) voanews (DOT) com

<special (AT) voanews (DOT) com> . I'm Shep O'Neal.