India has begun importing urad dal from Brazil for the first time to alleviate a shortfall in domestic production and reduce dependence on a few countries for imports.

According to sources, the first consignment of approximately 3000 tonnes of urad dal from Brazil has arrived. An official stated, "We are collaborating with Brazil and Argentina for urad and tur imports as relying solely on one country carries risks." He mentioned that around 20,000 tonnes of urad are expected to be imported into India from Brazil this year.

The government has engaged in a series of discussions with Brazil and Argentina to procure urad and tur dal to fulfill domestic requirements. Currently, India imports urad dal solely from Myanmar under a MoU. However, disruptions in supplies have arisen due to internal security issues in Myanmar.

An official noted that South American countries have relatively low domestic consumption of pulses. However, due to favourable weather conditions, pulses like urad and tur can be cultivated in Brazil and Argentina. Consequently, there are plans for cultivation in these countries for export purposes to India.

In 2023, India imported a total of 2.98 million tonnes (MT) of pulses, comprising 1.51 MT of lentils, 0.77 MT of tur or pigeon peas, and 0.59 MT of urad or black gram. These pulses were primarily sourced from countries such as Australia, Canada, Myanmar, Mozambique, Tanzania, Sudan, and Malawi.

Sources revealed that since December last year, the country has imported 0.5 MT of yellow pea, a pulse variety used as a substitute for chana or gram, following the allowance of duty-free imports. An official indicated that an additional 0.5 MT is anticipated to be imported in the coming months, primarily from Canada and Russia.

The duty-free import of yellow dal is permitted until April 30, with the government setting this date as the deadline for the bill of lading (shipped on board). Furthermore, the government has maintained a consistent policy on imports, exempting three varieties of pulses – tur, urad, and masoor – from import duty until March 2025, allowing farmers in the exporting countries to plan pulse cultivation well in advance.

Currently, the country's pulse production stands at 28 MT, which is generally sufficient to meet domestic demand. However, sources noted a slight discrepancy between the production and consumption of pulse varieties – tur, urad, and masoor.

India previously signed MoUs with Mozambique and Malawi for importing pulses to address domestic shortages. Inflation in pulses has remained in double digits, with prices of various varieties rising steadily. Despite record pulse production, the country continues to import to meet demand.

Image source: The Financial Express