Good Monsoon Expected To Cut India's Pulse Imports In FY25

While imports may decrease compared to FY24, experts warn that if current policies remain unchanged, overall pulse imports could double to approximately 8-10 million tonnes over the next five years

After reaching a five-year high of 4.7 million tonnes in FY24, India is expected to import fewer pulses this financial year, with estimates between 4 and 4.5 million tonnes. This decrease is attributed to a favourable monsoon and increased domestic production, as Bimal Kothari, chairman of the India Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA), stated on Friday. 

Kothari shared this information during a seminar on pulses titled “Bharat Dalhan-2024,” reported Business Standard.

While imports may decrease compared to FY24, experts warn that if current policies remain unchanged, overall pulse imports could double to approximately 8-10 million tonnes over the next five years. Ashok Gulati, an eminent agriculture economist and Distinguished Professor at the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), emphasised that achieving self-sufficiency in pulse production requires more than just slogans. "We need to work towards that through concerted policy prescription," he said.

At the seminar, Gulati suggested that policies promoting paddy production should be reversed. He proposed offering farmers in states like Punjab a subsidy of Rs 39,000 per hectare over five years to encourage a shift from paddy to pulses. He added that the subsidy should be paired with guaranteed procurement to encourage farmers to transition from water-intensive paddy to more sought-after pulses. 

In addition, the Indian Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA) has called for the government to establish a long-term policy for the Rs 2.5 lakh crore pulses market, arguing that frequent policy shifts negatively impact all stakeholders. The IPGA also recommended imposing import duties on yellow peas.

Kothari highlighted that India imported 1.6 million tonnes of masoor dal in FY24, noting that the country only needs around 1 million tonnes. He also indicated that imports of yellow peas might decrease from the record 2 million tonnes imported in FY24, with an additional 1-1.5 million tonnes expected in the coming months.

Kothari observed that wholesale pulse prices have fallen over the past month and are anticipated to continue decreasing. For instance, tur prices have dropped by Rs 20 per kilogram recently. "Pulses prices will not increase this year; rather, they will keep falling," Kothari stated.

According to the 3rd Advance Estimates, pulse production rose from 16.32 million tonnes in 2015-16 to nearly 25 million tonnes in 2023-24.