Farmers Urge Government to Curb Pulse Imports

31-Jul-2025 06:17 PM

Mumbai. Due to the continued import of huge quantities of cheap pulses from abroad, its supply and availability in the domestic sector has increased, due to which the prices have fallen drastically and Indian farmers are having to struggle hard to get a profitable price for their produce.

Sowing of two major crops of the Kharif season, Arhar (Tuvar) and Urad, is lagging behind last year. In view of this, an organization of producers and traders has urged the Central Government to control the import of cheap pulses so that the domestic market prices can be stabilized and farmers can be encouraged to increase the production area of pulses.

The President of Agri Farmer and Trade Association (AFTA) says that at present the supply of pulses within the country is more than required and Indian ports are filled with large quantities of yellow peas imported from Russia and Canada.

Huge import of pulses is also continuing from other countries. In view of this, the association has strongly urged the government to curb cheap imports. Right now the sowing season of Kharif crops is going on.

The government has allowed duty-free import of tur, urad and yellow peas till March 31, 2026, while a nominal customs duty of 10 percent has been imposed on the import of Desi gram and lentils.

The government's target of making the country self-sufficient in the matter of pulses in the next 2-3 years seems impossible to achieve due to the current rules.

If this resolution is to be fulfilled, then the import of pulses will have to be curbed. Last year, during the Rabi season, when there was a decline in the sowing area of ​​gram, the association was the first organization to urge the government to reduce the import duty on yellow peas.

But now the situation has completely changed, so the government should also make necessary and practical changes in its policy. Yellow peas are being imported at a price below $ 400 per tonne.