To enhance the country's self-sufficiency in pulses, the government has designated 35 new districts for expanding tur cultivation and 13 districts for urad. This initiative is aimed at increasing the cultivation area for these two kharif (summer) pulses, with plans to distribute high-yielding seed varieties.
In the previous year, India imported all major pulses including tur, urad, masoor, chana, and yellow peas—spending approximately $3.74 billion due to diminished domestic production caused by erratic rainfall. Food inflation, primarily driven by pulses and vegetables, remains a significant concern. Government data shows that pulse prices surged 21.64% year-on-year in June, more than double the 9.21% increase recorded the previous year.
The government aims to achieve self-sufficiency in pulse production by 2027. A senior official commented, We are visiting villages to encourage farmers to switch to pulse cultivation. Cooperation Minister Amit Shah previously urged farmers to increase pulse cultivation, guaranteeing unlimited procurement at either the minimum support price or the market price.
The Ministries of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs are registering farmers in states including Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Gujarat, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Tamil Nadu for tur and urad cultivation. The National Co-operative Consumers' Federation of India and other agencies have distributed high-yielding seed varieties to boost cultivation.
Updated MSP for Tur and Urad for FY 2024-25: Tur dal is a key protein source with high market demand and matures within 110 to 130 days. The Minimum Support Price (MSP) for tur was ₹7,000 last year. For the fiscal year 2024-25, the MSP has increased to ₹7,550. Urad dal is also widely used, with its MSP for FY 2023-24 being ₹6,950. For FY 2024-25, the MSP has been raised to ₹7,400, an increase of ₹450.
Government Data and Import Policies: Government data indicates that the area under pulses has grown by 14% year-on-year, reaching 10.2 million hectares by July 26, up from 8.94 million hectares the previous year. Despite being the world's largest producer of pulses, India's local consumption exceeds production, with annual consumption estimated at 28 million tonnes and continuing to rise due to increased purchasing power.
