To boost domestic supplies and curb rise in prices, the government on Tuesday extended duty free imports of tur (pigeon peas) and urad varieties of pulses by a year till March 31, 2027.
A directorate general of foreign trade (DGFT) notification, also extended import of yellow peas used as substitute for chana (gram) without minimum import price and port restriction by one year till FY27 will continue to attract 30% import duties.
However, importers of yellow peas will have to register under the online import monitoring system of the department of consumer affairs.
“Maintaining continuity in the import policy at this stage brings important stability to the pulses market. In the current global environment, timely clarity helps ensure smoother trade flows and enables better planning across the supply chain,” Harsha Rai, Head, Mayur Global Corporation, a leading pulses trading firm, told FE.
Food imports
Due to domestic shortfall in production, India imports tur, urad and yellow peas from several countries including Myanmar, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Canada, Brazil, Russia and Australia.
India imports about 18% to 20% of its annual consumption of pulses such as yellow peas, tur, urad, bengal gram and lentils (masoor). Lentils imports currently attract 10% duty.
In October, 2025, an import duty of 10% and agriculture infrastructure development cess of 20% was imposed on yellow peas.
In December 2023, the government had allowed duty free import of the cheaper variety of pulses due to prospects of lower chana output.
In 2017, an import duty of 50% was imposed on pulses variety to encourage domestic production.
Pulse import in 2025
Meanwhile, pulse import during April-January 2025-26 declined by over 18% to 4.9 million tonne (MT) compared to 6.01 MT during the same period last fiscal.
India imported a record 7.3 MT of pulses in FY25.
In terms of varieties, yellow peas and masur (lentil) imports during April-January FY26 declined by 49% and 24% to one MT and 0.96 MT respectively compared to the same period in FY25.
However there has been a 35% and 15% rise in imports of urad and arhar (pigeon pea) to 0.9 MT and 1.3 MT respectively in the first ten months of the current fiscal on year.