India pulse production rises as imports drop 31 percent

India has seen a significant increase in pulse production driven by the ‘Mission for Self-Reliance in Pulses’. According to government data for 2025-26, total pulse production rose to 274.09 lakh tonnes, up from 256.83 lakh tonnes in 2024-25.

This surge has led to a 31.52 percent decrease in pulse imports, falling from 46,427.60 crore rupees to 31,793.59 crore rupees. Conversely, pulse exports grew by 13.4 percent, reaching 969.53 million dollars. Major export destinations include China, the UAE, Bangladesh, the US, and Sri Lanka.

The government’s initiative has also expanded the cultivation area from 277.20 lakh hectares to 286.46 lakh hectares. Productivity improved from 926 kg per hectare to 957 kg per hectare. With an outlay of 11,440 crore rupees, the mission aims to reach 350 lakh tonnes of production and 1,130 kg per hectare productivity by 2030-31, focusing on tur, urad, and masur through climate-resilient seeds and cluster-based models.