As good harvests of pulse crops, such as tur (pigeon pea) and chana (chickpea) in origins like Africa and Australia, weigh on prices, the Indian pulses trade has yet again demanded that 50 per cent duty be imposed on yellow peas imports to lend some support to the domestic market.
The landed cost of pulses to Indian ports have been coming down in recent weeks as countries such as Mozambique, Tanzania and Australia harvest bigger crops.
“Crops are much higher than last year at origins. Chana crop is good in Australia, while the production of lentils is good in Australia, Canada, Russia and Kazakhstan. Toor is very good in Mozambique, Tanzania and everywhere in Africa, where more than a million tonnes is going to be harvested. The price of imported tur price has come down already to ₹47-48 per kg. I think it, will come down to the level of ₹40-45 levels, while our MSP is ₹80. That is why we are telling the government to impose duty on yellow peas as these price levels of below MSP will harm the farmers,” said Bimal Kothari, Chairman, India Pulses and Grains Association.
Food inflation down
“The food inflation has sharply come down and I don’t think there’s anything to worry. I think the more important thing for the government now is to look at the farmer’s interest,” Kothari said, adding that the government should consider levying an import duty of 50 per cent on yellow peas.
The pulses trade has been urging the government to impose duty on yellow peas as the huge availability of the cheaper pulses variety has been hurting the demand for other category of pulses. Recently, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan raised concerns on the cheaper imports of yellow peas and demanded imposing a 50 per cent duty to protect the farmers interest.
“We have been urging the government to impose duty on yellow peas over the last few months. Our stand has been vindicated” Kothari said, referring to the recent reports on Agriculture Minister’s concern on yellow peas imports.
Kothari said yellow peas prices have come down to the levels of ₹30 per kg. Last year, during this period, the landed cost of yellow peas at Indian ports was $380-400 per tonne and now it has come down to $290 levels. Similarly, the prices of tur from African origins is ranging between $500 and $540 compared with $640 a month ago. Imports from Mozambique, Malawi and Tanzania are expected to rise from September 20 onwards, he added.
The area under pulses in the ongoing kharif season is marginally higher at 114.46 lakh hectares (lh) till the end of August compared with 113.47 lh a year ago. Excess rain across the country is feared to hurt the prospects of the crop. Kothari said it is too early to quantify the impact and a clearer picture would emerge by the month-end.
Published on September 5, 2025