Share of tur/arhar was the largest among pulses imported during the year
The Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) has stated in its ‘Price Policy for Rabi Crops: Marketing Season 2024-25’ that India imported 25.3 lakh tonnes of pulses in 2022-23, about 8.66% less than 2021-22. In 2021-22, India had imported 27.7 lakh tonnes of pulses.
Tur or arhar (pigeon pea) was the largest imported commodity among the pulses, accounting for 35.2% and 30.4% of the share during both 2022-23 and 2021-22 respectively.
Other major pulses imported by India during both the years include masur (lentil) and urad (black gram).
CACP mentioned that the major import origins of tur or arhar are Mozambique, Myanmar and Tanzania, while Canada and Australia are the leading exporters of lentil to India. Urad is imported mainly from Myanmar.
The commission said the share of masur and tur or arhar in the total imports has gone up considerably in 2022-23 compared to 2021-22, while the share of urad, chickpea and moong has dropped.
CACP observed that a significant jump in the share of lentil imports may be due to lower domestic production in 2021-22 and softening of global lentil prices driven by ample supply of lentil by major producers like Canada and Australia.
The commission stated that pulses are the important crops that provide high quality supplementary protein in daily diets for pre-dominantly vegetarian population in India.
CACP mentioned in the price policy that as per the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCIS), the pulses imports in India increased significantly by 87.2% from 35.3 lakh tonnes in 2013-14 to 66 lakh tonnes in 2016-17.
“However, due to record production in the country and interventions such as import restrictions, higher minimum support prices and procurement, imports of pulses declined by 61% during 2016-17 to 2018-19,” the commission observed.
It mentioned that during the last four years, the Indian imports of pulses in value ranged between 25 lakh tonnes to 29.4 lakh tonnes. CACP stated in the 2024-25 rabi price policy, “It is notable that despite a decline in the volume of imports, the import bill has not dropped commensurately reflecting continued rise in international prices of pulses.”
Leading country sources of India’s pulses imports
|
Country |
Pulses import (lakh tonnes) | Share in total pulses imports (in percent) | Key origin (share in percent) in 2022-23 | ||
| 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | ||
|
Tur/arhar (pigeon pea) |
8.4 | 8.9 | 30.3% | 35.2% | Mozambique (51.5%), Myanmar (24.3%), Tanzania (11.1%) |
|
Masur (lentil) |
6.7 | 8.6 | 24.1% | 34% | Canada (56.6%), Australia (41.4%), Netherland (1.2%) |
|
Urad (black gram) |
6.1 | 5.2 | 22.1% | 20.6% |
Myanmar (97.7%), Singapore (1.8%), Brazil (0.2%) |
|
Gram/chickpea |
2 | 0.6 | 7.3% | 2.4% |
Tanzania (90.6%), UAE (4%), Myanmar (2.4%) |
| Moong (green gram) |
2 |
0.3 | 7.1% |
1.2% |
Tanzania (27.6%), Myanmar (23.4%), Brazil (20.8%) |
| Others | 2.5 | 1.7 | 9.1% | 6.6% |
— |
| Total | 27.7 | 25.3 | 100% | 100% |
— |
Source: Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics, Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry
To read in Punjabi and Hindi, click below.