India's Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses Progress Report
The Indian government launched the 'Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses' on October 11, 2025, with a comprehensive six-year plan backed by a financial allocation of ₹11,440 crore spanning 2025–26 to 2030–31. The mission aims to achieve complete self-sufficiency in pulses production by 2030-31, targeting production of nearly 350 lakh tonnes with yield rising to 1,130 kg per hectare. The initiative focuses on boosting domestic production, reducing import dependence, and enhancing farmers' income through a value-chain approach.
Production and Trade Performance
India's pulse sector showed strong growth in 2025-26, with total production rising to 274.09 lakh tonnes (3rd Advance Estimates) from 256.83 lakh tonnes in 2024-25. The cultivation area expanded significantly from 277.20 lakh hectares in 2024-25 to 286.46 lakh hectares in 2025-26, while national productivity improved from 926 kg per hectare to 957 kg per hectare. Major pulse cultivation regions include Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal.
Import dependence declined substantially, with pulses imports falling by 31.52% from ₹46,427.60 crore in 2024-25 to ₹31,793.59 crore in 2025-26. Concurrently, exports rose 13.40% from USD 855 million in 2024-25 to USD 969.53 million in 2025-26, reaching a total volume of 10.01 lakh tonnes. Major export destinations included China, UAE, Bangladesh, the U.S.A., and Sri Lanka.
Price Support and Procurement Mechanisms
The government implemented substantial Minimum Support Price increases to strengthen price security for pulse farmers. For the 2026-27 marketing season, the MSP for Urad was increased by ₹800 (10.81%) to ₹8,200 per quintal from ₹7,400 per quintal in 2024-25. Tur (Arhar) MSP saw an enhancement of ₹900 (11.92%) to reach ₹8,450 per quintal from ₹7,550 per quintal, while Masur (Lentil) MSP was revised upward by ₹300 (4.48%) to ₹7,000 per quintal from ₹6,700 per quintal.
Under the mission, NCCF and NAFED are authorized to procure 100% of Tur, Masur, and Urad for four years (2025–26 to 2028–29). As of June 17, 2026, NCCF achieved total pulses procurement of 10.55 lakh tonnes across 9 states, releasing ₹7,047 crore in MSP value directly to farmers and benefiting 4.69 lakh farmers out of 7.74 lakh registered farmers. Procurement expanded from 18,39,504.77 tonnes in 2024-25 to 31,40,883.92 tonnes in 2025-26.
Implementation Progress and Digital Infrastructure
The mission's early progress includes allocation of 528 pulse processing units to States and Union Territories in the first phase out of a total envisaged 1,000 units. Additionally, 23 pulse processing units have been approved under the Creation and Expansion of Food Processing and Preservation Capacities (CEFPPC) under Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY), with 18 units already completed.
To boost pulses in rice-fallow areas, the mission distributed 9.25 lakh seed kits during Rabi 2025-26 as part of the target to distribute 87.5 lakh kits over six years. The government leverages advanced digital platforms including a three-tier Steering Committee network, Krishi Mapper application for geo-fencing and land geo-tagging, and the SATHI portal for seed authentication and traceability. Additional platforms like AgriStack, Digital Crop Survey, E-Samriddhi, and Vistaar ensure direct payments, real-time market data, and domestic price stability.