Piyush Goyal urges farmers to diversify into cultivation of pulses to benefit from higher MSP & returns

The Union Minister also mentioned that the MSP is 117% higher for Masoor, 90% for Moong, 75% for chana dal, and 60% more for Toor and Urad pulses compared to a decade ago.

Stating that the government is willing to provide assured prices for 5-year contracts for government procurement, the Minister reminded everyone that while India is the largest producer and the 5th largest exporter of millets in the world, the government is putting similar emphasis on pulses and lentils.

While he urged industry leaders to provide suggestions and guidance to improve productivity and grow the pulses industry, he mentioned that the government-procured chana dal, retailed under the ‘Bharat’ brand, has already captured 25% of the market share of lentil gram within four months of its launch.

He stressed that the positive customer reviews received by Bharat Dal on various e-commerce sites demonstrate the ability of Indian farmers to produce high-quality, affordable pulses.

He pointed out that government procurement of pulses has risen by 18 times over the last decade, and the production of pulses has grown by 60% during the same period, from 171 lakh tonnes in 2014 to 270 lakh tonnes in 2024.