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Informist, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025

 

By Pallavi Singhal and Afra Abubacker

 

NEW DELHI – The agriculture ministry's stance on the import of yellow peas is clear while other ministries are still deliberating on whether import duties should be levied or not, Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi told Informist. Other ministries, he said, have to take decisions keeping consumer interest in mind. Chaturvedi was talking on the sidelines of a media briefing on the PM Dhan Dhanya Yojana.

 

India's duty-free yellow pea import policy, introduced in December 2023 to curb inflation in pulses, has been extended multiple times, with the latest extension valid until March 31, 2026. The policy has been contentious, with the Consumer Affairs Ministry pushing for continued imports to keep prices low.

 

In contrast, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has expressed concerns that duty-free imports depress domestic prices of pulses and discourage farmers. He wrote to the food and consumer affairs minister in August asking to consider imposing 50% customs duties on yellow pea imports to protect Indian farmers and promote self reliance in pulses. 

 

The issue has also led to a public interest litigation in the Supreme Court, seeking a ban on duty-free imports. The agriculture ministry's priority remains farmer welfare, while other ministries weigh consumer interests in their decision-making.
 

The discussion becomes even more relevant as sowing of pulses in the key kharif season has remained on a par with last year, at a time when the agriculture ministry had wanted it to see a significant rise owing to its push for the country to become 'aatamnirbhar' in production of pulses.  

 

However, officials in the consumer affairs ministry argue that the opening of yellow pea imports has had a significant role to play in raising overall pulse availability and bringing down food inflation. The commodity has accounted for as much as 20% of total pulses demand, replacing chana through blending in besan, and as a mixture with other pulses, they said.

 

India has imported 3.5 million tonnes of yellow peas into the country since it opened its imports in December 2023 even as the domestic production remains at 800,000-900,000 tonnes. In 2024-25 (Apr-Mar), India imported 2.16 million tonnes of yellow peas, up a steep 85% on year. In the first quarter of FY26, India imported another 160,000 tonnes of the pulse, according to a senior government official. Import of yellow peas, is the highest among all pulses. Currently, prices of yellow peas range between INR 2,800 and INR 3,000 per 100 kg in key spot markets across the country, making it the cheapest legume.  End

 

Edited by Deepshikha Bhardwaj

 

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