In October 2024, India’s pulses trade showcased mixed trends, with notable changes in imports and exports across various commodities compared to October 2023. These fluctuations highlight shifts in demand, pricing dynamics, and global supply conditions.

Imports

Pigeon Pea: Imports surged by 57%, reaching 260.4 thousand tonnes, up from 165.9 thousand tonnes in October 2023.This rise reflects strong domestic demand amidst limited local availability and increased reliance on imports from traditional suppliers like Myanmar and African nations.

Lentils: A significant decline of 62% was observed, with imports dropping to 55 thousand tonnes from 143.7 thousand tonnes last year.

Urad: Imports fell by 5.7%, decreasing to 76.3 thousand tonnes from 80.9 thousand tonnes in October 2023.

Chana: Imports dropped by 25%, totaling 37.7 thousand tonnes, down from 50 thousand tonnes in October 2023.

Exports

Pigeon Pea: Exports increased by 61%, reaching 3.4 thousand tonnes, compared to 2.4 thousand tonnes in October 2023.

Lentils: Exports declined by 49%, falling to 6.7 thousand tonnes from 13 thousand tonnes in October 2023 potentially due to softer international prices and competition from other exporting nations like Canada and Australia.

Urad: Exports experienced a sharp growth of 108.35%, climbing to 7.9 thousand tonnes from 3.8 thousand tonnes in October 2023.

Chana: Exports surged dramatically by 479%, rising to 11.1 thousand tonnes from 1.9 thousand tonnes in October 2023.

The trade data reflects a strong demand for certain pulses, particularly Pigeon Pea and Urad, in international markets, while imports of Lentils and Chana have shown significant declines. This dynamic could influence pricing and trade strategies in the coming months.

Source: Ministry of Commerce