Imports of pulses in India may have reached a nine-year high of 6.7 million tonnes in FY25, driven by a favorable duty structure and benign domestic prices. Import duties on most pulses have been kept at nil to ensure steady supplies and prevent price increases. Yellow peas have been the biggest contributor to the import surge, with India importing 2.04 million tonnes in FY25, the highest since FY18 and almost 31% of the total imports.
Yellow peas are the cheapest pulse imported into India, with a landed price lower than the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of major pulses. Data from trade and market sources indicates that total pulses imports have increased significantly, from 2.2 million tonnes in FY19 to 6.7 million tonnes in FY25.
Unless firm steps are taken to curb yellow peas imports, the overall imports of pulses are expected to remain high. The provided table details the import quantities of various pulses from FY17 to FY25, along with production data on a crop year basis (July to June).