India, after establishing memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with Mozambique, Malawi, and Myanmar for importing pulses, has now approached Argentina and Brazil. The intention is to engage these South American nations in cultivating tur and urad varieties, with an agreement for exporting these products to India. Initial talks have commenced with Argentinian authorities to cultivate pulse varieties that India frequently imports in substantial quantities. Rohit Kumar Singh, the Secretary of the Department of Consumer Affairs, held discussions with the Ambassador of Argentina in India, Hugo Javier Gobbi, regarding the cultivation of pulses in Argentina. During a recent visit by Brazilian agriculture ministry officials to India, Indian representatives encouraged Brazilian authorities to explore the feasibility of such an agreement.
The government aims to decrease reliance on pulse imports from select countries by exploring the cultivation of urad and tur varieties in South American nations, leveraging their favorable weather conditions. India imported 2.28 million tonnes of pulses this year, including lentils, tur (pigeon peas), and urad (black gram), primarily from Australia, Canada, Myanmar, Mozambique, Tanzania, Sudan, and Malawi.
Brazil annually produces 3 million tonnes of various bean varieties, fulfilling domestic demand and exporting to Vietnam, Pakistan, and Egypt. India is considering the cultivation of pulses, particularly tur and urad, in Ethiopia and Tanzania to augment its internal supplies. Previously, India signed an MoU with Mozambique to import 0.2 million tonnes of arhar for five years, which was extended for another five years in September 2021 when tur prices surged to Rs 200 per kilogram in 2016. Additionally, in 2021, India inked MoUs with Malawi and Myanmar for annual imports of 50,000 tonnes and 0.1 million tonnes of tur, respectively, until 2025.