India’s pulses imports in the current fiscal are likely to decline by 45% to around 4 million tonne (MT) in FY26, from a record 7.34 MT in 2024-25, trade sources said citing adequate carry forward stocks and robust domestic crop prospects.
According to provisional data, in terms of volume, the pulse imports during April-October 2025-26 have declined by 33% to 2.37 MT compared to 3.54 MT during the same period last fiscal.
“During November and October, there is a projection of 0.5 MT of pulses import and overall in FY26 total imports would be around 4 MT which is a significant decline from the previous fiscal,” Satish Upadhyay, secretary, India Pulses and Grains Association, told FE. Upadhyay said domestic crop prospects is robust and higher imports has ensured there is no supply contraints.
Robust Rabi Prospects
The decline in value of pulses import has been rather sharp, as the country during the first seven months of FY26 has imported pulses valued at $ 1.56 billion, a 45% drop compared to imports of $ 2.83 billion in April-October FY25.
Officials sources said that cost of imports have declined by around 30% to 40% in the current year because of higher global output and low imports thus pulling down the prices
In terms of varieties, arhar (pigeon pea) and masur (lentil) imports during April-October FY26 declined by 22% and 37% to 0.81 MT and 0.5 MT respectively compared to the same period in FY25.
However there has been a 27% rise in imports of urad to 0.64 MT in the first seven months of the current fiscal on year.
India had allowed duty free import of yellow peas from December, 2023, after decline in chana output. The chana accounts for close to 50% share in country’s pulses production
Average imports of around 2.7 MT between 2018-19 and 2022-23, sharply rose to 4.8 MT in 2023-24 and hit a new record of 7.3 MT in FY25.
With a share of 29.5% , yellow peas have the largest share in total pulses imports in 2024-25, followed by gram (22%), tur (16.7%), lentil (16.6%) and urad (11.2%).Prospects of a higher pulses production in forthcoming rabi or winter season due to adequate soil moisture because of excessive rainfall this season is likely to boost chana,masor (lentil) and moong production. Sowing has been up marginally at 11.71 million hectare so far and weather has been conducive for the crop.
The government has a buffer stock of around 2 MT of pulses which is adequate.
The pulses production in the 2024-25 crop year (July-June) is estimated at 25.68 MT, 6% higher than the previous year.
The government is targeting to increase pulses production to 27 MT in 2025-26 crop year – rabi (16.59 MT), kharif (8.05 MT) and summer (2.39 MT) -.
Scaling for 2030
Under the Rs 11,440 crore ‘mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses’ , the government has set a target to increase pulses production to 35 MT by 2030-31 crop year.
Currently duty free imports of yellow peas, tur and urad has been allowed till March 31, 2026, bengal gram and masoor has imported duty of 10% valid till end of FY26.
Indian imports pulse consumption mostly tur, urad and lentil (masor) from Mozambique, Tanzania , Myanmar, Canada, Russia, Australia and Brazil.