India’s pulses will likely decline by about a third to around 5 million tonnes during the current financial year against 7.3 million tonnes the previous fiscal year on higher carried forward stocks, weakening rupee against the dollar and levy of duty on yellow peas.
“India imported 7.3 million tonnes last year. I think this year we will end up with around 5 million tonnes. The imported quantity has come down significantly. A lot of quantity got carried over the last year and I think that is also a reason for decline in imports,” said Bimal Kothari, Chairman, India Pulses & Grains Association (IPGA), the apex trade body for the sector.
The quick estimates released by the Commerce Ministry recently point to a similar trend for the current financial year. Pulses imports in value terms were down by 33.33 per cent at $2.525 billion during April-December period of current financial year over corresponding previous year’s $3.788 billion, as per the quick estimates.
Yellow peas imports plunge
Kothari said the imports till December were down at around 4 million tonnes and another one million tonnes is expected by March end. Further, Kothari said the weakening rupee is making the imports expensive. The rupee has declined by about 7-8 per cent in the past four months, he said.
The imports of yellow peas has come down significantly following the imposition of the 30 per cent duty during the year. Though prices of some varieties have firmed up a bit, I don’t think it will have any impact on the consumer, he said.
“Consumers are getting everything below minimum support price. Stocks are good, prices are more or less stable despite the rupee weakening and the crops are good. I don’t think there’s anything to worry about the availability of pulses during the current year. We will have a better update by the first week of March,” Kothari added.
As per IPGA, the overall imports of pulses for the Jan-November period of calendar 2025, were down by around 8 per cent at 56.65 lakh tonnes (61.56 lakh tonnes in same period last year). Imports of masur were up 1.2 per cent during Jan-Nov at 9.35 lakh tonnes (9.19 lakh tonnes), whereas tur imports were down 7.71 per cent during the period at 10.54 lakh tonnes (11.43 lakh tonnes). Urad imports during Jan-Nov were up 42 per cent at 9.86 lakh tonnes (6.94 lakh tonnes), while yellow peas were down 58 per cent at 11.41 lakh tonnes (27.33 lakh tonnes) and chana imports were up 472 per cent during the period at 13.25 lakh tonnes (2.31 lakh tonnes)
As per the first advance estimates, India’s pulses production during kharif 2025 season is estimated a tad lower at 74.13 lakh tonnes against 77.33 lakh tonnes a year ago. The pulses acreages during the ongoing rabi planting season are up 3 per cent till Jan 23, 2026, at 137.55 lakh hectares (lh) (133.94 lh a year ago). Acreage of the main rabi pulses crop — chana is up 5.11 per cent at 95.88 lh (91.22 lh), raising prospects for a good harvest. Masur (lentils area is up 2.6 per cent at 18.12 lh over (17.66 lh).
Published on January 28, 2026
