India aims to cut pulse and oilseed imports by boosting yields

India must reduce its dependence on imported pulses and oilseeds by increasing domestic crop yields, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said during the 98th Foundation Day of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). He urged scientists to intensify research aimed at improving productivity in these strategically important crops.

According to the minister, countries that do not use genetically modified seeds are already achieving higher pulse yields, and India should be able to do the same. He noted that expanding irrigation has encouraged farmers to switch to rice and wheat production, while pulse cultivation has lagged behind, increasing the country’s reliance on imports.

Chouhan highlighted the wide productivity gap between crops, noting that an acre of corn can produce more than 100 quintals, compared with about 30–35 quintals for rice and only around 5 quintals for pulses such as chickpeas or mung beans. Closing this gap, he said, should become a key priority for agricultural researchers.

India imports around 6–7 million tons of pulses and 15–16 million tons of edible oils each year. Besides increasing production, the minister called for improving product quality and expanding domestic fertilizer production to reduce the country’s dependence on imports.

Chouhan also stressed the need for a long-term strategy to help agriculture adapt to climate change. While praising ICAR for developing contingency plans for regions vulnerable to El Niño, he said India needs broader measures focused on producing high-quality, export-oriented agricultural products and increasing farmers’ incomes.

Tags: yield, imports, pulses, oilseeds, India