Pulse Imports May Rise if Domestic Crops Suffer Damage
28-Aug-2025 05:49 PM
Mumbai. Although the total production area of pulses during Kharif season has fluctuated and finally reached 112.77 lakh hectares this time, improving by 1.34 lakh hectares from 111.42 lakh hectares last year, but in view of the heavy damage caused to the crops due to natural disasters, there is a possibility of a decline in its total production.
Floods have severely affected almost all the major producing states and especially Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.
The horror of floods is also being seen in states like Punjab, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, but pulses are cultivated in a relatively less area there.
Official data shows that among the major pulse crops, only the area of Arhar (Tuvar) is behind last year, while the area of Urad, Moong and Moth has gone ahead of last year.
According to the available data, compared to last year, during the current Kharif season, the production area of Tuvar decreased from 44.77 lakh hectares to 43.98 lakh hectares,
while on the other hand, the sowing area of Urad increased from 20.31 lakh hectares to 21.71 lakh hectares, the area of Moong increased from 33.50 lakh hectares to 33.95 lakh hectares and the area of Moth improved from 9.11 lakh hectares to 9.17 lakh hectares.
Similarly, the area of Kulthi improved from 23 thousand hectares to 26 thousand hectares and the sowing area of other pulses increased from 3.50 lakh hectares to 3.70 lakh hectares.
Overall sowing of pulse crops is normal, but its condition in the fields is not encouraging. Half of Rajasthan is affected by floods.
The risk of rotting and decaying of pulse crops increases due to accumulation of water in the fields of pulse crops for more than four-five days.
The rain continues in various producing states, due to which the extent of damage to pulse crops is expected to increase further. In such a situation, there may be a need to increase its import from abroad to meet the domestic demand and requirement.