India Eyes Pulses Surplus by 2030
New Delhi: India, the world’s largest producer and consumer of pulses, continues to grapple with a widening demand-supply gap, leading to surging imports that reached 4.739 million tonnes in 2023–24, costing 3.74 billion dollars and representing 18.5 per cent of domestic demand. To address this challenge and achieve self-reliance, the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) released a report titled “Strategies and Pathways for Accelerating Growth in Pulses towards the Goal of Atmanirbharta” on September 4, 2025. The release was conducted by NITI Aayog Member Professor Ramesh Chand, in the presence of Chief Executive Officer B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, the Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, and the Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education, who also serves as Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. Dr. Neelam Patel, Senior Adviser in NITI Aayog’s Agriculture Technology Division, presented the report’s findings.
Pulses play a critical role in food security, nutritional well-being, and sustainable agriculture, providing plant-based protein and supporting the livelihoods of over 50 million farmers, mainly in rainfed areas that account for nearly 80 per cent of production. The report notes a 59.4 per cent increase in pulse production from 16.35 million tonnes in 2015–16 to 26.06 million tonnes in 2022–23, with a 38 per cent rise in productivity, reducing import dependency from 29 per cent to 10.4 per cent. However, imports peaked at 6.61 million tonnes in 2016–17 and surged again in 2023–24, up 93 per cent in value from the previous year. Building on government initiatives like the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana and the National Food Security Mission-Pulses, the Union Budget 2025–26 announced the Mission for Atmanirbharta in Pulses, a six-year program targeting pigeonpea, black gram, and lentil with climate-resilient seeds, higher protein content, and improved productivity.
Globally, pulse production reached 96.04 million tonnes in 2022 from 97.09 million hectares, with a yield of 0.989 tonnes per hectare. India contributes 38 per cent of the area and 28 per cent of production, but lags in yield at 0.740 tonnes per hectare compared to the global average of 0.969 tonnes per hectare, offering a potential increase of 7.66 million tonnes if matched. Major crops include dry beans (30.27 per cent of production), chickpeas (16.63 per cent), and dry peas (14.32 per cent). India leads in pigeonpea (78.10 per cent of global production) but faces yield gaps, such as in chickpeas, where Ethiopia’s yield is double India’s. Biotic stresses like pod borers and wilt diseases cause 20–30 per cent losses, while abiotic factors, including droughts from El Niño events, reduce production by up to 14.45 per cent in severe cases.
In India, pulses are cultivated across 12 crops in kharif, rabi, and summer seasons, with rabi pulses contributing 67 per cent of production from 53 per cent of the area. Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan account for 55 per cent of output, and the top ten states account for over 91 per cent. Production volatility has decreased from 14.3 per cent in the 1970s to 6.4 per cent in the 2010s, driven by yield effects (82.2 per cent in Madhya Pradesh). Decomposition analysis shows yield as the dominant growth driver (phase 5: 82.2 per cent in Madhya Pradesh for total pulses). The top 111 districts contribute 75 per cent of production, including Kalaburagi in Karnataka and Buldana in Maharashtra.
Trade dynamics reveal that global pulses trade grew 27 per cent over the past decade to 19 million tonnes, projected to reach 22 million tonnes by 2033. India’s imports, mainly red lentils, yellow peas, and black gram from Canada, Myanmar, and Australia (87 per cent share), declined from 6.61 million tonnes in 2016–17 to 2.496 million tonnes in 2022–23 but rose sharply in 2023–24. Exports increased from 0.10 million tonnes in 2009–10 to 0.76 million tonnes in 2022–23, valued at 686.93 million dollars in 2023–24, led by chickpeas and lentils.
Demand projections under three approaches—household/static, normative, and behaviouristic (business-as-usual and high-income growth)—estimate gaps of 4.57 million tonnes by 2030 and 4.94 million tonnes by 2047 under current trends. Normative demand, based on Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Nutrition recommendations (14–15 per cent energy from pulses), projects 15.74 million tonnes by 2030. Consumption trends show per capita intake at 15.89 kilograms per year in 2015–16, with regional disparities: urban-rural gaps and lower intake in states like Tripura.
The report proposes horizontal expansion (increasing area via 11.65 million hectares of rice fallows for 2.85 million tonnes potential) and vertical expansion (yield boosts through high-yielding varieties, seed treatment, and integrated management). A district-wise quadrant approach classifies areas as high-area high-yield (e.g., 48 districts for pigeonpea like Bharuch in Gujarat), high-area low-yield, low-area high-yield, and low-area low-yield, identifying clusters for targeted interventions. Technological measures include pest-resistant cultivars, post-emergence herbicides, and mechanisation to reduce post-harvest losses (6–10 per cent). Strategic interventions could yield surpluses of 21.64 million tonnes by 2030 under the household approach.
A survey of 885 farmers across five states reveals an average farming experience of 50.91 years, with 76.39 per cent aged 31–60 and low youth involvement (3.56 per cent). Constraints include high input costs (81 per cent), low prices (80 per cent), irregular power (82 per cent), and poor extension services (61 per cent). State-specific issues: Rajasthan’s soil nutrient deficiencies, Madhya Pradesh’s pest infestations, Andhra Pradesh’s irrigation delays, Karnataka’s market agent dominance, and Gujarat’s labour shortages.
Recommendations include area retention through crop-wise clustering, seed traceability, strengthening Farmer-Producer Organisations, effective procurement at minimum support prices, integrating pulses into the public distribution system, customising farm equipment, promoting summer pulses, and advancing research for pest-resistant varieties. Resource requirements emphasise bio-fertilisation and data-driven systems for monitoring.
The report positions these strategies as essential for closing the import gap, enhancing exports, and achieving Atmanirbharta by 2027–28, aligning with sustainable development goals and supporting rural economies.
– global bihari bureau
