The Global Pulses Trade - Challenges and Opportunities

India is world's largest producer, consumer and importer of pulses. Despite world's highest area under pulses (24 million hectares), yields are rather low and output fluctuating (11.5-14.5 million tons). Steady growth in incomes and demographic pressure has combined to push demand higher for all food grains in general, and pulses in particular. India's import dependence has been rising steadily. In recent times, inflation in general, and rise in prices of essential commodities including pulses in particular have been of great concern to the policymakers. What are the current issues impacting the pulses sector, both globally and domestically? Will India ever become self-reliant or will it continue to remain import dependent? Role of technology, risk management, retail marketing and so on are currently being debated hotly across commodities.