During the calendar year 2024, India witnessed a significant surge in pulses imports, almost doubling to a record 66.33 lakh tonnes. This spike in imports was a result of the government’s decision to make imports duty-free in order to boost supplies and regulate prices due to a shortfall in domestic output.
The major increase in imports was seen in yellow peas, with an estimated 29.68 lakh tonnes being shipped in. The duty-free import window for yellow peas, which was initially opened in December 2023, saw multiple extensions throughout 2024, with the deadline set for February 28, 2025.
Additionally, imports of tur and urad reached all-time highs at 12.33 lakh tonnes and 7.65 lakh tonnes, respectively. Despite a decrease in masur (lentils) imports compared to 2023, with over 10.93 lakh tonnes being imported, the overall lentil imports still remained substantial at 16.81 lakh tonnes in 2023.
Chana imports saw a remarkable four-fold increase, rising to over 5.74 lakh tonnes in 2024 from 1.31 lakh tonnes the previous year. According to Rahul Chauhan of IGrain India, the country’s import dependency for pulses increased in 2024 to bridge the gap in domestic production.
Imported pulses now constitute about a quarter of India’s total consumption, which is estimated at 270 lakh tonnes. This amounts to 24.57% of the total pulses consumption in 2024, equivalent to about four months’ worth of consumption throughout the year.
Despite a rise in pulses production from 163.23 lakh tonnes in 2015-17 to 273.02 lakh tonnes in 2021-22, the production has since declined to 242.46 lakh tonnes in 2023-24 due to erratic climate conditions. In the kharif 2024-25 season, production is expected to be marginally lower at 69.54 lakh tonnes compared to 69.74 lakh tonnes in the previous season. To address the supply shortage, the government has extended the duty-free import window for tur until March 21, 2026.
The previous highest pulses imports in a calendar year were recorded in 2017, with 62.74 lakh tonnes being imported, including a record 31.03 tonnes of yellow peas. Overall, India’s pulses imports play a crucial role in ensuring adequate supply and price stability in the domestic market.
