8 months ago
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The Supreme Court connected Thursday (September 25, 2025) sought the Centre’s effect connected a petition seeking curbs connected the import of yellowish peas, a pulse substitute, connected the crushed that its influx is driving down marketplace prices and harming the livelihood of farmers.
A Bench of Justices Surya Kant, Ujjal Bhuyan and N.K. Singh was proceeding a plea filed by Kisan Mahapanchayat, a farmers’ organisation, which argued that the continuous duty-free imports of yellowish peas had pushed prices acold beneath the minimum enactment terms (MSP) assured for home pulses specified as tur (arhar), chana and moong. It pointed retired that imported yellowish peas are being sold successful India astatine astir ₹3,500 per quintal, little than fractional the MSP of ₹7,000–₹8,000 for home pulses.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), an adept assemblage nether the Ministry of Agriculture, had successful its March 2025 study recommended a prohibition connected further imports of yellowish peas and an summation successful the levy of duties connected different home pulses, peculiarly tur, lentil and urad. He added that NITI Aayog, successful a September 2025 report, had likewise cautioned that dense reliance connected imports was unsustainable and urged the authorities to undertake policies to incentivise home cultivation.
“There person been galore reports of adept bodies, including those of the government, recommending that yellowish pea imports beryllium stopped arsenic they interaction ample sections of Indian farmers,” helium said.
Justice Kant, however, asked whether home pulse accumulation was capable to conscionable nationalist demand. “Do we person capable accumulation to cater to our needs? Farmers cannot spend retention facilities. They are compelled to merchantability aboriginal and extremity up receiving little than adjacent the MSP,” helium said.
‘Farmers are dying’
Mr. Bhushan stressed that farmers were being forced to merchantability their nutrient astatine prices little than their cultivation costs, arsenic duty-free imports had eroded marketplace prices. He further contended that the government’s orders permitting escaped imports of yellowish peas were issued “without immoderate reasons whatsoever.”
“Everybody is expressing concern... Farmers are dying. They are committing suicide,” helium submitted.
The Bench observed that it was inclined to contented announcement successful airy of recommendations from adept bodies specified arsenic the CACP and NITI Aayog. “We are inclined to contented announcement lone due to the fact that of reports from these highly liable institutions. But ultimately, it has to beryllium ensured that the nett effect is not the suffering of the consumer,” it said.
The petition besides highlighted that the government’s import argumentation runs contrary to the recommendations of its ain institutions. It cited authoritative information showing that India imported an unprecedented 6.7 cardinal tonnes of pulses successful 2024, of which yellowish peas unsocial accounted for 2.9 cardinal tonnes.
“Most of the imports person been beneath the MSP rates, which are earnestly impacting farmers’ net and distorting the Indian marketplace for pulses. The crisp summation successful imports has raised superior concerns among home producers, arsenic the influx of cheaper imported yellowish peas is disrupting section markets, affecting prices, and undermining the interests of Indian farmers”, the plea, filed done advocator Neha Rathi, stated.
The contented has besides prompted concerns wrong the government. In August, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had written to Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, cautioning that continued duty-free imports of yellowish peas were depressing home prices and discouraging farmers from expanding the cultivation of pulses. Earlier, successful her February Budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced a six-year “Mission for Aatmanirbharta” (self-reliance) successful pulses, with a peculiar absorption connected tur (pigeon pea), urad (black gram) and masoor (red lentil).
