Call for Action to Protect Farmers from Pulse Import Losses
19-Sep-2025 07:56 PM
New Delhi. The Union Ministry of Agriculture has issued an office memorandum clarifying its response to a trade organization's demand for immediate action to prevent the adverse impact of large-scale imports of cheap pulses from abroad. It is noteworthy that on August 26, 2025, the Grain,
Rice and Oil Seeds Merchants' Association, a prominent Mumbai-based organization, sent a letter to the National Traders Welfare Board, a subordinate body of the Government of India, in this regard. The Board forwarded the letter to the Ministry of Agriculture with recommendations for appropriate action.
In response to this letter, the Ministry of Agriculture clarified its position, stating that since the import-export policy for pulses and all other essential agricultural commodities is governed by an inter-ministerial committee headed by the Secretary of the Department of Food and Public Distribution,
the same department has been requested to take necessary action on this letter and the letter has been forwarded to the committee with the recommendation.
Earlier, the National Traders Welfare Board (NTWB) had stated in its letter to the Ministry of Agriculture that it had received a memorandum from the Navi Mumbai-based organization, the Grain, Rice, and Oil Seeds Merchants' Association,
emphasizing the need for government intervention to prevent the adverse effects of foreign imports on the pulses and oilseeds industry in India. Therefore, it is requested to take necessary steps to appropriately resolve the issues of retailers and inform the Board about the same.
It is noteworthy that in its memorandum submitted to the NCWB, the Grain, Rice, and Oil Seeds Merchants' Association provided a detailed account of the adverse impact of foreign imports on the interests of the domestic pulses and oilseeds industry.
The memorandum stated that due to cheap imports, the prices of lentils, gram, black gram, and pigeon pea have declined significantly in the domestic market, and the prices of yellow peas have also fallen sharply.
Pulses are being imported from abroad at extremely low prices, requiring immediate government intervention to curb this.