September 6, 2025

The Indian pulses market is seeing a price tumble because of huge harvests from places like Africa and Australia. Pulses such as tur (pigeon pea) and chana (chickpea) are coming in large numbers, making prices drop sharply. Now, the Indian pulses trade is loudly asking the government to hit yellow peas imports with a 50% duty. Why? To protect local farmers who could suffer from very low prices. Bimal Kothari, Chairman of the India Pulses and Grains Association, paints a clear picture. He said, "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." Notice how he's talking about a bumper crop almost everywhere! Kothari also points out that the cost of imported tur has already fallen to ₹47-48 per kg and may slide further to ₹40-45. The problem? The government’s Minimum Support Price (MSP) is ₹80! This big gap means farmers could get hurt badly unless action is taken. "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," he said. Food inflation has gone down a lot, making the government less worried about high prices. "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 added. His point? Protecting farmers must be the top priority now! The pulses trade has long pushed for a duty on yellow peas. This is because cheap yellow peas are stealing demand from other pulses, hurting the market. Even Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan recently echoed these fears, calling for a 50% duty to shield farmers. "We have been urging the government to impose duty on yellow peas over the last few months. Our stand has been vindicated," Kothari proudly said, referring to the Minister's recent statement. Prices for yellow peas have dropped to ₹30 per kg now. Last year, the landed cost at Indian ports was $380-400 per tonne; today it’s down to about $290. Tur prices from Africa also slid from $640 a month ago to the $500-$540 range now. Imports from Mozambique, Malawi, and Tanzania are set to rise after September 20. Meanwhile, pulses growing area for the current kharif season is slightly up at 114.46 lakh hectares, compared to 113.47 lakh hectares last year. However, excess rain across India might spoil some crops. Kothari warns it’s early to say how much damage rains might cause, expecting a clearer picture by month-end. In short, Indian pulses traders are ringing alarm bells! Big harvests abroad have flooded the market, sending prices plunging. The call is clear: slap a 50% duty on yellow peas imports to save Indian farmers from a price crash. Will the government listen and keep the farmer’s interests safe? The coming days will tell!

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Tags: Pulses, Yellow peas, Import duty, Farmers, India, Crop harvest,