Number Theory: Can India become self-sufficient in pulses?
Pulses are an important source of protein in non-meat-eating households
“Grow pulses, don’t worry about prices. We will procure at MSP. By December 2027, the country should become self-reliant in pulses. We will not import even one kilo of pulses from January 2028,” Amit Shah, the Minister of Home Affairs and Co-operation said on January 4. “Tur (pigeon pea) will be procured from farmers and it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guarantee,” he added. Shah was inaugurating a portal for procuring tur (or arhar), a kind of pulse, from farmers. He suggested that a similar portal for two other pulses – urad (black gram) and masoor (red lentil) – is expected in the future. This idea assumes significance because pulses are an important source of protein in non-meat eating households. Here are four charts that explain the challenge of making India self-sufficient in pulses.
