India – Lentil Import Estimate: Sharp Decline in April–June Quarter, Annual Import Also Likely to Be Weak
19-Jul-2025 04:01 PM
India – Lentil Import Estimate: Sharp Decline in April–June Quarter, Annual Import Also Likely to Be Weak
★ India’s total estimated lentil (HS Code: 07134000) import for the April–June quarter of FY 2025–26 stands at 147,190 metric tons, marking a steep fall of approximately 68,914 metric tons compared to the same quarter in FY 2024–25 (216,104 MT). In FY 2023–24, the figure for the same quarter was 298,622 MT, indicating that in just two years, Q1 imports have nearly halved.
Breakdown of FY 2025–26 so far:
★ April 2025: Lentil imports were 129,850 MT, up from 64,583 MT in April 2024.
★ May 2025: Imports dropped sharply to 15,268 MT, compared to 49,095 MT in May 2024.
★ June 2025 (expected): A steep decline continues, with only 2,072 MT expected, far below 102,425 MT in June 2024.
★ Thus, while April showed strong imports, the following two months—especially June—saw sharp declines, bringing the total Q1 import down by about 32% year-on-year.
★ In FY 2024–25, India imported a total of 1.22 million tons of lentils, down from 1.68 million tons in FY 2023–24. The start of FY 2025–26 appears even weaker, and if the current trend continues, annual imports could fall significantly compared to recent years.
Historical import data:
★ FY 2022–23: 858,438 MT
★ FY 2021–22: 667,431 MT
★ FY 2020–21: 1,116,174 MT (record high)
★ FY 2019–20: 854,460 MT
Outlook:
★ Major lentil shipments from Canada and Australia typically begin around October. Until then, the supply crunch may likely drive upward pressure on prices in the domestic market.