News Capsule: Rising Demand for Green Lentils in India Signals Higher Import Prospects Amid Weak Pigeon Pea Sowing
31-Jul-2026 01:45 PM
News Capsule: Rising Demand for Green Lentils in India Signals Higher Import Prospects Amid Weak Pigeon Pea Sowing
★ Demand for green lentils in India is increasing amid lower pigeon pea sowing and concerns over a smaller domestic crop. According to Canadian traders, Indian importers are purchasing larger-than-usual volumes of lower-grade green lentils, primarily for government-supported school meal programmes.
★ Current international prices of green lentils are significantly lower than in recent years, making imports attractive. If India's pigeon pea production falls below expectations, green lentils are likely to be used as a substitute, prompting buyers to increase imports.
★ Market analysts believe that lower pigeon pea availability could lead India to import larger quantities of lentils and other pulses. This could benefit major exporting countries such as Canada, Russia and Australia while providing support to global pulse prices.
★ However, if domestic pulse prices rise sharply, the Indian government has several options to stabilise the market. These include utilizing its buffer stock of around 4.4 million tonnes, reducing import duties, imposing stock limits, or taking other policy measures to improve supplies and contain prices.