Pulse import bill drops over 50% in First Half financial year 25

22-Oct-2025 12:10 PM

New Delhi. Preliminary data released by the Union Commerce Ministry shows that compared to last year, India's total expenditure on pulse imports during the first half of the current financial year, i.e., April-September 2025, declined by more than 50 percent from $2.18 billion to $1.03 billion.

Similarly, in Indian currency terms, import expenditure declined by 51 percent from Rs 18,282 crore to Rs 8908 crore during the same period.

According to industry analysts, global market prices for pulses remained soft and India's pulse imports also declined significantly compared to last year.

It is noteworthy that during the entire period (April-March) of the financial year 2024-25, the gross import of pulses in India had jumped sharply to an all-time high of 73.40 lakh tonnes, with a record expenditure of $5.47 billion. During the current financial year, a significant decline in the intensity of pulse imports is being observed.

According to data compiled by the renowned and reliable commodity trade analyst firm - iGrain India, during the four months of April-July in the current year, the total import of pulses in India declined from 18.02 lakh tonnes to 9.97 lakh tonnes compared to the same period last year.

During this period, only the import of pigeon pea (tuvar) saw a slight increase, while the import of all other pulses, including yellow peas, lentils, desi gram, and urad, registered a decline.

According to iGrain India, during April-July 2025, compared to April-July 2024, yellow pea imports fell from 9.32 lakh tonnes to 2.73 lakh tonnes, desi gram imports fell from 58 thousand tonnes to 27 thousand tonnes,

urad imports slipped from 2.56 lakh tonnes to 2.30 lakh tonnes and lentil imports declined from 2.81 lakh tonnes to 1.76 lakh tonnes. However, tur imports improved from 2.75 lakh tonnes to 2.91 lakh tonnes.