Lentils and potash supplies from Canada have been steady, they said.
Ties between India and Canada deteriorated sharply after New Delhi and Ottawa ordered six diplomats to leave in tit-for-tat moves over Ottawa’s allegations that New Delhi was targeting Indian dissidents on Canadian soil.
The worsening relations raised concerns over the supplies of lentils and potash from Canada.
India is a leading importer of protein-rich lentils – a pulse variety used to make daal curry – a staple for millions of people.
India also imports potash for its huge agriculture sector, which employs about half of its 1.4 billion people and accounts for nearly 15% of the $3 trillion economy. “Indian traders have already placed orders for shipments scheduled for October and November, and these are expected to arrive as planned,” Bimal Kothari, chairman of India Pulses and Grains Association, said referring to lentil imports from Canada. India imports red lentils from Canada, Australia, Russia and Myanmar. India also imports yellow peas, another pulse variety, from Canada.
“There has been no disruption in the trade of pulse between Canada and India,” Kothari said.
Consumption of lentils in India has risen to around 3 million metric tons, but output remains stagnant at about 1.3 million tons.
India is the world’s biggest producer of pulse varieties, with a production around 29 million metric tons, but it’s not enough to meet local demand, making New Delhi the biggest importer of pulse.
India has sufficient stocks of pulse and there are no supply disruptions, said a senior government official who didn’t wish to be named.
A senior fertiliser industry official said: “We are continuing to import potash as per contracts. There has been no change in policy, and we have not received any orders or instructions from the government to stop potash imports from Canada.”
To fertilise crops, India depends on imports for its entire annual consumption of 4 million to 5 million tonnes of potash. Other than Canada, India ships in potash from Belarus and Russia. Israel and Jordan are other important suppliers of potash to India. (Reporting by Rajendra Jadhav and Mayank Bhardwaj; editing by David Evans)