We focus on grains and food industry.
We focus on grains and food industry.
We focus on grains and food industry.
We focus on grains and food industry.
We focus on grains and food industry.
We focus on grains and food industry.
We focus on grains and food industry.
We focus on grains and food industry. current time
India’s pulses import up 58pc for FY25
As per the early estimates of the Commerce Ministry, the pulses imports crossed USD 5.03 billion during the April-February period of fiscal 2024-25, up 58.75 percent over USD 3.17 billion a year ago. Overall, imports during 2023-24 were USD 3.74 billion and the previous high was USD 4.24 billion during 2016-17.
If turned into rupee terms, the imports during April-February 2024-25 were at a record Rs.42,629 crore, up 62 percent over Rs.26,318 crore a year ago. Overall imports stood at over Rs.31,071 crore last year.
As far the pulses import figures in volume terms, the trade experts and the analysts estimate the pulses imports during April-February, at 62.52 lakh tonne (lt). This included the record imports of desi chickpeas at 11.46 lt and tur at 11.64 lt in the current fiscal till February. The yellow pea imports during the period are estimated at 20.59 lt, lentils at 11.46 lt and urad imports are estimated at 7.39 lt among others.
An analyst is reported attributing the record import bill to the record purchase of tur, the variety costlier among the range of pulses imported, and also due to higher volumes of chikpeas and yellow peas imported. In volume terms, the imports could be a record this year, opined the analyst.
Notably, the government on its part, removed the duty on imports of chickpeas, tur, urad and yellow peas, to boost the domestic availability of pulses amidst a shortfall in production last year. The duty-free import window for chickpeas was also set to end on March 31, 2025. The duty-free import window for yellow peas was extended by three months recently to May 31, 2025, while duty-free imports of tur and urad were opened till March 31, 2026.
According to Bimal Kothari, Chairman, India Pulses and Grains Association, the record pulses import bill was due to the government policy of allowing duty-free imports, which has brought down the prices of all pulses below the minimum support price levels. A large quantity of imports of yellow peas was not required and the government could have managed prices by importing lesser quantity, Kothari noted, maintaining the large quantity of yellow peas has been dumped into the Indian market after October 2024, which was absolutely not required.
“The duty-free cheaper imports are hurting farmers very badly and it is also hurting the trade. Only overseas farmers and exporters are benefitting,” Kothari said. “The government needs to relook at the import policy seriously as we are not only losing valuable foreign exchange but allowing free imports is also a setback for the atmanirbharata (achieving self-reliance) campaign in pulses,” he was reported saying.
