Centre Targets 40% Rise In Pulses Output By 2030
The ‘Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses’, approved by the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 1, will be implemented from 2025-26 to 2030-31 with a financial outlay of ₹11,440 crore.
NEW DELHI: With the goal of achieving self-sufficiency in pulses production, Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday announced that the government has set a target to increase pulses output by 40 per cent to 350 lakh tonnes by the 2030-31 crop year.
The ‘Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses’, approved by the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 1, will be implemented from 2025-26 to 2030-31 with a financial outlay of ₹11,440 crore. The mission aims to boost domestic production and reduce India’s dependence on imports.
Chouhan said the government would expand the area under cultivation and enhance crop productivity to meet the target. “By 2030-31, pulses acreage will increase to 310 lakh hectares, up from 275 lakh hectares at present, and production will rise to 350 lakh tonnes from 242 lakh tonnes in 2023–24,” he said. For 2024–25, pulses output is estimated at 252.38 lakh tonnes.
He added that productivity will be raised to 1,130 kg per hectare, up from the current average of 881 kg per hectare, through the use of high-yielding and disease-resistant seed varieties. The government will also ensure timely seed availability to farmers.
Chouhan said the Centre has identified 100 low-productivity blocks for focused development and will take appropriate decisions on import duties to safeguard farmers’ interests. “India is the world’s largest producer and consumer of pulses, yet we are not self-sufficient,” he noted.
To strengthen markets and value chains, the minister said the mission will support the establishment of 1,000 post-harvest processing units, helping to reduce crop losses, improve value addition, and increase farmer incomes. A maximum subsidy of ₹25 lakh will be available for setting up processing and packaging units.
The mission is expected to promote climate-resilient farming practices, improve soil health, and ensure productive use of fallow land, thereby moving India closer to full self-reliance in pulses while conserving foreign exchange and enhancing farmer prosperity.