India aims for self-sufficiency in pulses, but recent trends show a concerning decline in cultivation area. Despite the government’s ‘Pulses Mission’ and ambitious targets for 2030-31, farmers are reluctant to grow pulses because they are not assured of receiving prices at or above the Minimum Support Price (MSP). This has led to a significant drop in pulse prices, even below MSP, while import bills continue to rise.
**Shrinking Cultivation Area:**
Over the past four years, the area dedicated to pulse cultivation in India has shrunk by nearly 3.1 million hectares. This is a significant concern, especially as India accounts for a large portion of the world’s pulse cultivation area but has a lower share of global production. The gap between demand and supply necessitates substantial imports, which have reached around 7.7 million metric tons annually.
The government’s ‘Pulses Mission,’ launched with a budget of ₹11,440 crore, aims to increase the cultivation area to 31 million hectares and boost production to 35 million tonnes by 2030-31. However, experts argue that without guaranteed remunerative prices for farmers, these goals are unlikely to be met.
**The Price Dilemma:**
Reports from the Ministry of Agriculture highlight a sharp decrease in market prices for major pulse crops. For instance, between August 2024 and August 2025, prices for Tur (pigeon pea) fell by 42%, Urad (black gram) by 20%, and Chana (gram) by 18%. As of October 1, 2025, prices for Tur, Moong (green gram), and Urad were significantly below MSP. This situation occurs despite India’s ongoing reliance on imports to meet its pulse demands.
**Why Farmers Are Reluctant:**
Farmers make crucial decisions based on expected returns. When market prices fall below the cost of production and the guaranteed MSP, it becomes financially unviable to cultivate certain crops. The current scenario, where farmers receive less than MSP for pulses while facing rising input costs, directly discourages them from expanding cultivation. This creates a paradox: high import dependency alongside falling domestic production.
**Excessive Imports and Their Impact:**
NITI Aayog reports indicate that India’s annual pulse consumption is around 29 million tonnes, while domestic production stands at approximately 25.238 million tonnes, creating a shortfall of about 3.762 million tonnes. However, imports far exceed this shortfall, standing at 7.654 million tonnes. This raises questions about the import policy and its potential to deliberately harm farmers’ interests. While consumers might benefit from lower prices in the short term, the long-term impact on domestic agriculture and food security could be detrimental.
**A Call for Policy Change:**
The government’s vision of making India self-reliant in pulses, as promised by Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, hinges on addressing the fundamental issue of farmer remuneration. Unless farmers are assured of profitable prices, the ambition of ending import dependency will remain an elusive goal. Policy makers need to bridge the gap between government plans and the practical economic realities faced by farmers. Without a firm price guarantee, the ‘Pulses Mission’ risks becoming another well-intentioned initiative that fails to deliver on its promise, potentially leading to further deterioration of pulse cultivation in the country.