A senior official from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has highlighted that the Narendra Modi-led Central government is prioritizing the enhancement of productivity in pulses, cereals, and vegetables. This initiative aims to boost food production and improve the nutritional standards of the population, while also supporting India’s aspiration to become a global food powerhouse.

Recent data from the Ministry of Agriculture indicates that exports of pulses have significantly outpaced imports. The provision of higher Minimum Support Prices (MSP) to farmers during the NDA government’s tenure has contributed to this growth compared to the previous UPA government’s policies.

In the financial year 2014-15, India managed to export only Rs 1,218 crore worth of pulses. However, by the period of April to December 2024-25, this figure soared to Rs 4,437 crore. In the fiscal year 2023-24, the country exported 5.94 lakh metric tonnes of pulses valued at Rs 5,397.86 crore, with key markets including the United States, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.

The NDA government remains dedicated to achieving self-reliance in pulse cultivation and reducing the import expenditure further, as stated by the official. The procurement of food grains has risen dramatically from 761.40 lakh metric tonnes in 2014-15 to 1,062.69 lakh metric tonnes in 2022-23, benefiting over 1.6 crore farmers. Consequently, the spending (at MSP values) on food grain procurement increased from Rs 1.06 lakh crore to Rs 2.28 lakh crore during the same timeframe.

Currently, the procurement of pulses at MSP is actively underway, supported by the extension of the integrated Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) Scheme through the 15th Finance Commission cycle until 2025-26. This initiative aims to ensure that farmers receive better prices for their produce.

Procurement has commenced in states such as Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Telangana, with 0.15 lakh metric tonnes of tur (arhar) already acquired by February 15, benefiting 12,006 farmers. Efforts to procure tur in additional states will begin shortly, with the Centre committed to purchasing 100% of tur produced by farmers through central nodal agencies like NAFED and NCCF.

To encourage farmers in improving domestic pulse production and reducing dependency on imports, the government has sanctioned the procurement of tur, urad, and masur at 100% of the state’s production for the 2024-25 procurement year. Furthermore, the Budget for 2025 announced that this procurement scheme for tur (arhar), urad, and masur will continue for an additional four years under Central Nodal Agencies to reach self-sufficiency in pulses.

Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan has approved the procurement of tur (arhar) in states including Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh under the Price Support Scheme for the Kharif 2024-25 season, totaling 13.22 lakh metric tonnes.

The integrated PM-AASHA Scheme is designed to enhance the effectiveness of procurement operations, ensuring farmers receive fair prices for their crops while also managing price fluctuations of essential commodities by maintaining a buffer stock for consumer availability at reasonable rates when market prices rise.

Under the Price Support Scheme of the integrated PM-AASHA Scheme, the central nodal agencies procure the designated pulses, oilseeds, and copra that meet the Fair Average Quality standards directly from registered farmers through state-level agencies.