Import of pulses increased to 45.40 lakh tonnes in 2023-24

28-May-2024 03:26 PM

Mumbai. During the entire period (April-March) of the financial year 2023-24, the total import of pulses in the country increased to a high of 45.40 lakh tonnes on which a huge amount of $ 3.75 billion was spent.

This is the biggest figure in years last year. Import of pulses suddenly increased rapidly in 2023-24 after being 23.70 lakh tonnes in 2022-23 and 25.20 lakh tonnes in 2021-22.

The total import of pulses in India jumped to an all-time high of 63.60 lakh tonnes during the 2016-17 financial year, while its quantity was recorded at 55.80 lakh tonnes in 2015-16 and 54.10 lakh tonnes in 2017-18.

Its import expenditure also jumped to a new record level of $ 4.24 billion in the 2016-17 financial year, compared to $ 3.90 billion in 2015-16.

Although the production of pulses in the country jumped from 163.20 lakh tonnes to a peak level of 273 lakh tonnes between 2015-16 and 2021-22 season, due to higher increase in domestic demand and consumption, the need for its import from abroad remained.

This is the situation when the import of moong and peas remained stopped for a long time and gram was also imported in limited quantities.

Now the import of moong is stopped but duty free import of yellow peas and desi gram has been allowed till 31 October 2024. 

In fact, domestic production of pulses declined to 260.60 lakh tonnes in 2022-23 and is expected to fall to 234.40 lakh tonnes in 2023-24. If production does not increase rapidly in 2024-25, it will be difficult to reduce imports of pulses.