India slashes import duties to secure food staples amid shrinking reserves

With domestic production lagging, India turns to Russia for millions of tons of pulses and wheat. Will this ease the looming food crisis?

, and Administrator

2026 March 27 . 7:01 PM

1 min read

The image shows a graph depicting the global trade of wheat, coarse grains, and soybeans and... — The image shows a graph depicting the global trade of wheat, coarse grains, and soybeans and soybean products. The graph is composed of different colors, each representing a different type of grain, and the text accompanying it provides further information about the data.

India slashes import duties to secure food staples amid shrinking reserves

India is boosting imports of key food staples as domestic grain reserves shrink. The government has removed import duties on yellow peas until October 31, 2024, to secure supplies. With annual wheat consumption nearing 100 million tons, officials are also preparing for possible wheat imports this year.

India's grain stockpiles have fallen in recent years, pushing authorities to seek overseas supplies. To ease shortages, the country scrapped import taxes on yellow peas, a move set to last until late October 2024. Since the duty was lifted, India has already brought in 570,000 tons of yellow peas from Russia by the end of April.

Domestic production of yellow peas remains low, estimated at just 750,000–800,000 tons. To bridge the gap, India plans to import 3–3.5 million tons of the crop between December 2023 and October 2024. Overall, pulse imports this year could exceed 4 million tons. Wheat supplies are also under pressure. With annual consumption between 95 and 100 million tons, India may need to import 3–5 million tons of wheat in 2024. Russia, already a major supplier of yellow peas, could play a key role in meeting this demand as well.

The duty-free policy on yellow peas will stay in place for months, allowing India to secure millions of tons of imports. Russia's role as a supplier is growing, with shipments of both pulses and wheat likely to rise. These steps aim to stabilise food reserves as domestic production struggles to keep pace with demand.