October 6, 2026
Reuters reported on October 1, 2026 that New Delhi is weighing lower import duties on masoor (red lentils) and yellow peas after a patchy monsoon hit pulse-growing states — while chana looks likely to be left out, and tur and urad already enter duty-free through March 2027.
According to a Reuters report published on October 1–2, 2026 (citing two government sources and one industry source), the Indian government is weighing cuts to import duties on certain pulses in an effort to cool rising food prices ahead of the festive season. No final decision has been announced, but the fact that it is under active consideration is itself a signal worth watching for anyone who sources, trades, or imports pulses into or out of India.
Per the report, the government is looking at reducing duties on masoor (red lentils) and yellow peas, which currently attract import duties of 10% and 30% respectively. Chana (chickpeas), also currently taxed at 10% on import, is reportedly likely to be excluded from any reduction. Separately, tur (pigeon peas) and urad (black gram) are not part of this new discussion at all — they already carry "Free" import status, which the DGFT extended by a further year to 31 March 2027 under Notification No. 71/2025-26 (urad, ITC(HS) 07133110) and Notification No. 72/2025-26 (tur, ITC(HS) 07136000), both dated 31 March 2026.
The trigger is a weak monsoon. Major pulse-growing states received rainfall up to 30% below the long-period average during the June–September 2026 season, raising concerns about a sharp drop in domestic output. The price impact is already visible in the data: overall food inflation stood at 5.95% in August 2026, with tur prices up 5.6% year-on-year and urad prices up 7.4% year-on-year. India remains the world's largest producer, consumer, and importer of pulses — in 2024-25, domestic production was 25.7 million tonnes against imports of 7.3 million tonnes, with imports covering roughly 23% of consumption, sourced mainly from Australia, Canada, Russia, Myanmar, and African supplying countries.
It's worth being precise here, because the two situations are very different. The duty-free status of tur and urad through March 2027 is a confirmed, gazetted DGFT notification — that part is settled policy and importers can plan around it. The potential duty cuts on masoor and yellow peas, by contrast, are still at the "government sources say" stage: Reuters noted that a government spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and no notification has been issued as of this writing. Traders should treat this as a developing story, not a locked-in rate change, until DGFT or the Ministry of Finance actually notifies a revised duty structure.
For importers and merchant traders working in pulses, the practical read is: keep a close watch on official DGFT and CBIC notifications over the coming weeks rather than pricing contracts off the Reuters report itself. If a masoor or yellow-pea duty cut does land, it would widen the sourcing window for buyers working with Masoor Dal, while Chana Dal buyers should plan around the current 10% duty holding steady for now. For tur, the duty-free runway to March 2027 under which SATA GreenX supplies Toor Dal is already locked in, giving importers a more predictable planning horizon on that line even while the lentil and yellow-pea story continues to develop.
Toor Dal (Pigeon Peas), also known as Arhar Dal or Tur Dal, is a widely consumed pulse obtained from Cajanus cajan. It is valued for its mild nutty flavour, creamy texture after cooking, and versatility in traditional and modern food preparations. Sourced from selected producing regions of India and processed under controlled conditions, our Toor Dal is available in whole and split forms, with polished and unpolished options to meet different market requirements. It is suitable for bulk food distribution, retail packing, restaurants, catering, foodservice and international pulse markets.
Chana Dal, also known as Split Bengal Gram, is prepared from mature chickpeas by removing the outer skin and splitting the kernels into smaller, rounded halves. It has a naturally nutty flavour, firm texture and excellent versatility in cooking. Chana Dal is widely used in Indian cuisine and is also suitable for food-service, food-processing and international bulk markets.
Masoor Dal, commonly known as Red Lentil, is a popular pulse obtained from dried lentils that are processed and split to produce thin, uniform kernels. It is valued for its mild earthy flavour, attractive orange-red colour and relatively quick cooking time. Masoor Dal is widely used in household cooking, food-service operations and processed food applications, making it a practical pulse for domestic and international markets.
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