India remains the world’s largest lentil buyer and may import 1.6 mln tons

India remains the world’s largest buyer of lentils due to strong domestic demand for pulses as an affordable source of protein. Domestic production does not always cover the country’s needs, while lower crops of chickpeas or pigeon peas encourage consumers and processors to switch more actively to red and green lentils.

In 2026/27, India may increase lentil imports to 1.6 mln tons, bringing purchases close to the record 1.68 mln tons imported in 2023/24. The country’s total imports of all pulses could exceed 6 mln tons in the current season.

Lentil imports slowed somewhat in the first half of the year due to a good domestic rabi crop of around 1.99 mln tons. However, a weak and uneven summer monsoon reduced the area planted to other pulses, once again strengthening demand for imported lentils.

Canada and Australia remain the main suppliers. Canada shipped more than 570 thsd tons of lentils to India in the first half of 2026, while Australia expects a crop of around 2.25–3 mln tons and is increasing competition in the Indian market. At the same time, green lentil production fell by 36% in Canada and by 42% in the US, supporting prices in this segment.

The Indian market remains highly sensitive to government regulation. The basic import duty on lentils stood at 10% in autumn 2026, although authorities may adjust it depending on domestic production and prices. Further developments in the global market will largely depend on crops in Canada and Australia, weather conditions in India and the scale of purchases by New Delhi.

Tags: India, imports, lentil