Chennai, Aug 28 - 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.