The prices of pulses are likely to stay stable in coming months because of adequate buffer, robust sowing and encouraging crop prospects, officials from the Department of Consumer Affairs said.
“We do not foresee an increase in pulses prices in coming months as rabi sowing areas have been higher than last year and weather conditions are conducive, while we have about 2 million tonne (MT) of buffer stock of pulses,” an official told FE.
Sowing of rabi pulses, including gram, masoor (lentils) and urad, has increased 14.5% to 13.4 million hectare year-on-year this season.
With adequate private stocks following a kharif harvest and imports, the supply situation remains comfortable, officials said, while ruling out any possibility of a spike in prices in coming months.
Inflation in pulses has been in the negative zones since February 2025 after its peak of 113% in August 2024. It declined 15.86% in November 2025 for 10th consecutive month on the prospects of robust supplies.
Govt to extend MoUs with Myanmar, Mozambique & Malawi
Sources told FE that the government has decided to extend memorandum of understanding (MoUs) for duty free pulse imports from Myanmar, Mozambique and Malawi for another five years from April 2026.
Under the existing agreement, India annually imports 0.2 MT, 0.1 MT and 50,000 tonne of tur or arhar dal from Mozambique, Myanmar and Malawi, respectively. In addition, India is committed to import 0.25 MT of urad from Myanmar annually.
While extension of MoUs has been decided by the inter-ministerial committee, the formal agreement would be initiated by the Ministry of External Affairs through diplomatic channels.
India had signed an MoU with Mozambique in 2016 for import of 0.2 MT of arhar annually for five years when the retail prices of tur skyrocketed to Rs 200 per kg. This MoU was extended for another five years in September 2021.
In 2021, India signed MoUs with Malawi and Myanmar for import of 50,000 tonne and 0.1 MT of tur per annum, respectively, till end of FY26.
India imports about 15% to 18% of its annual pulses consumption—mostly tur, urad and lentil (masoor)— from Africa, Myanmar, Canada, Russia and Australia. India imported a record 7.3 MT of pulses in FY25, however, it is expected to decline sharply in the current fiscal to about 4 MT.
Currently, duty free imports of yellow peas, tur and urad have been allowed till March 31, 2026. Bengal gram and masoor have import duty of 10% valid till end of FY26.
Roadmap to Aatmanirbharta
“With rising incomes and standard of living, consumption has increased. However, domestic production has not kept pace with the demand,” according to an official statement.
Under the six-year mission to achieve self-sufficiency, the government has allocated Rs 11,440 crore to increase pulses production to 35 MT by 2030-31 crop year (July-June) from 25.68 MT in 2024-25.