A six-year plan to make India self-reliant in pulses by 2030-31
Key developments
From Import Dependence to Self-Sufficiency
India is the world's largest producer of pulses, a protein-rich food crop of global importance. Pulses contain 20-25% protein, more than double the amount in wheat and nearly three times that in rice. They contribute significantly to India's agricultural exports and remain a vital part of Indian diets, supporting nutritional security. Recognising this importance, the government launched the 'Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses' on October 11, 2025. The nation marks the Mission's first anniversary on October 11, and the initiative continues to gain momentum, backed by a financial allocation of ₹11,440 crore for 2025–26 to 2030–31. The Mission aims to achieve self-sufficiency in pulses production. It focuses on boosting domestic production, reducing import dependence, and raising farmers' income through a comprehensive value-chain approach.
Under the Mission, production is expected to reach nearly 350 lakh tonnes by 2030-31, with yield rising to 1,130 kg per hectare. The key strategic measures behind these targets include:
Focus on increasing production of Tur, Urad and Masoor
Promotion of climate-resilient seeds and better seed quality
Distribution of 87.5 lakh free seed kits and 126 lakh quintals of certified seeds over six years
Expansion of pulse cultivation area by 35 lakh hectares, to reach a targeted total of 310 lakh hectares by 2030–31
A cluster-based approach covering 489 districts to intensify production
Establishment of 1,000 processing units (dal mills)
Assured procurement of Tur, Urad and Masoor through NCCF and NAFED from willing, registered farmers
Expected to reduce import dependence and conserve foreign exchange
India's pulse sector showed strong growth in domestic production, cultivation area and crop yield during 2025-26. Steady agricultural progress and strong local output continue to strengthen the country's pulse economy.
India's total pulse production rose from 256.83 lakh tonnes in 2024-25 to 274.09 lakh tonnes in 2025-26 (3rd Advance Estimates).
India's pulse cultivation area expanded significantly, from 277.20 lakh hectares in 2024-25 to 286.46 lakh hectares in 2025-26.
The major pulse-growing regions are Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal.
National pulse productivity improved, with overall yield increasing from 926 kg per hectare in 2024-25 to 957 kg per hectare in 2025-26.
India's pulses imports declined by 31.52%, from ₹46,427.60 crore in 2024-25 to ₹31,793.59 crore in 2025-26.
India's pulses exports rose by 13.40%, from USD 855 million in 2024-25 to USD 969.53 million in 2025-26. Total export volume reached 10.01 lakh tonnes during 2025–26.
In 2025-26, the major export destinations included China, UAE, Bangladesh, the U.S.A. and Sri Lanka.
The government continues to strengthen price security for pulse farmers through substantial increases in Minimum Support Prices (MSPs). Higher support prices ensure fair returns and encourage greater domestic production of key pulse crops.
For the marketing season 2024-25, the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Urad was fixed at ₹7,400 per quintal. It was increased by ₹800 (10.81%) to ₹8,200 per quintal for 2026-27.
For 2024-25, the MSP for Tur (Arhar) was ₹7,550 per quintal. It was increased by ₹900 (11.92%) to ₹8,450 per quintal in 2026-27.
For 2024-25, the MSP for Masur (Lentil) was ₹6,700 per quintal. It was revised upward by ₹300 (4.48%) to ₹7,000 per quintal for 2026-27.
Under the Mission, the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Limited (NCCF) and the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited (NAFED) are authorized to procure 100% of Tur, Masur and Urad for four years (2025–26 to 2028–29). Key achievements from the NCCF Pulses Procurement Dashboard, as of June 17, 2026, include:
Background and details
NCCF procured a total of 10.55 lakh tonnes of pulses across 9 states. Minimum Support Price (MSP) payments worth ₹7,047 crore were released directly to farmers. The initiative benefited 4.69 lakh of the 7.74 lakh registered farmers.
Under Kharif 2025-26, 7.89 lakh tonnes of pulses worth ₹6,431 crore were procured, benefiting 3.66 lakh farmers.
Under Rabi 2026-27, procurement of pulses reached 23.51 lakh tonnes, with an MSP release of ₹14,217 crore, benefiting 10.20 lakh farmers.
Pulses procurement rose from 18,39,504.77 tonnes in 2024-25 to 31,40,883.92 tonnes in 2025-26.
The Mission's early progress shows steady momentum in building infrastructure and expanding support for farmers. Key achievements so far include:
The Mission envisages 1,000 pulse processing units, of which 528 have already been allocated to States and Union Territories in the first phase.
A total of 23 pulse processing units have been approved under the Creation and Expansion of Food Processing and Preservation Capacities (CEFPPC) scheme of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY). Of these, 18 units have been completed.
To promote pulses in rice-fallow areas, the Mission aims to distribute 87.5 lakh seed kits over six years. Of these, 9.25 lakh kits were distributed during Rabi 2025-26.
The government uses advanced digital platforms for smooth monitoring, real-time oversight and targeted implementation at all levels:
A three-tier Steering Committee network monitors planning, implementation and progress at the national, state and district levels.
The Krishi Mapper application enables precise geo-fencing, land geo-tagging, and real-time tracking of seed variety demonstrations and yields.
The Seed Authentication, Traceability & Holistic Inventory (SATHI) portal takes a holistic approach to the seed life cycle across seed generations. It does so by automating the seed supply chain, from seed production to certification and seed sale.
AgriStack & Digital Crop Survey: Integrates unified Farmer IDs with Soil Health Card analytics and verified plot surveys to ensure targeted nutrient delivery and accurate harvest forecasts.
Verification platforms such as E-Samriddhi and Vistaar ensure direct payments, real-time market data and domestic price stability.
The early momentum indicates that the Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses is successfully bridging policy intent and ground-level execution. Guaranteed price support has restored grower confidence, while digital platforms like SATHI and e-Samriddhi ensure transparency across the supply chain. As India moves toward its 2030–31 production target of 350 lakh tonnes, this integrated value-chain framework promises not only long-term national protein security and foreign exchange savings, but also a replicable model for self-sufficiency across the broader agricultural economy.
Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2177847®=48&lang=2
https://www.niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/2025-09/Strategies-and-Pathways-for-Accelerating-Growth-in-Pulses-towards-the-Goal-of-Atmanirbharta.pdf
https://www.ibef.org/news/union-cabinet-approves-mission-for-aatmanirbharta-in-pulses-with-rs-11-440-crore-us-1-24-billion-outlay-to-achieve-self-sufficiency-by-2030-31
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2284230®=48&lang=1
https://upag.gov.in/dash-reports/progressivecropareasown
https://pulsesmission.da.gov.in/pulseswebinar.aspx
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2239790®=48&lang=2
https://www.pmindia.gov.in/en/news_updates/union-cabinet-approves-mission-for-aatmanirbharta-in-pulses-for-2025-26-to-2030-31/
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressNoteDetails.aspx?NoteId=155497&ModuleId=3®=48&lang=1
Exam revision: key facts
Recall the answer first, then expand it to check the evidence from this article.
What is the main development reported?
A six-year plan to make India self-reliant in pulses by 2030-31