India’s urad imports during calendar year 2025 crossed 1 million tonnes on shortfall in domestic supplies as the crops were impacted by erratic weather patterns
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India’s urad (black matpe) imports from Brazil rise by at least 25 per cent this calendar year as growers in the South American producing nation are likely to expand their crop size. During 2025, India imported over 2.37 lakh tonnes of urad from Brazil.
“We will see a larger quantity of urad imports from Brazil this year. I am expecting at least 3 lakh tonnes of imports from the May-June crop,” said Bimal Kothari, chairman, India Pulses & Grains Association (IPGA)
Brazilian growers plant urad during February-March and harvest the crop in 90 days. “We can see at least 25 per cent more imports in Brazil,” Kothari said, adding that the Brazilian growers have got good price last year and are expanding the area. “They are expecting a good crop and they have done good sales already. They got good price last year. I am sure they will be doing much bigger crops this year,” Kothari said, based on his interaction with Brazilian growers last week.
Domestic shortage
Commenting on the domestic supply, Kothari said “There is definitely a shortfall in urad production this year also. Prices have also increased but we have seen correction in the past few days”. The prices of imported FAQ urad are hovering around the minimum support price.
According to the IPGA market update, prices of imported urad fell for the second consecutive week ending February 21 as sellers remained active and steady arrivals from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh added to the supply pressure, while demand remained weak with millers purchasing on need basis. Near-term market price movement will depend on the Myanmar export price, volumes of shipments, pace of domestic arrivals of new crop in Andhra and currency movement among other factors.
Brazil, which has increased urad production in recent years, will likely emerge as a major origin for India’s urad imports after Myanmar. From around 4,100 tonnes during calendar 2023, Brazilian urad exports to India have seen a sharp increase.
Imports up 41%
India’s urad imports during calendar year 2025 crossed 1 million tonnes on shortfall in domestic supplies as the crops were impacted by erratic weather patterns. India’s urad imports during 2025 were up 41 per cent at 10.67 lakh tonnes from the previous year’s 7.58 lakh tonnes. India’s urad imports from Myanmar stood at 8.09 lakh tonnes during 2025, while that from Brazil stood at 2.37 lakh tonnes and other producers including African countries accounted for the rest 20,996 tonnes. Urad imports into the country are currently duty free till end March this year.
As per the first advance estimates, India’s 2025-26 kharif urad production was down at 12.05 lakh tonnes against corresponding previous year’s 13.41 lakh tonnes. During 2024-25, India’s total urad production stood at 13.41 lakh tonnes (13.41 lakh tonnes during Kharif, 5.53 lakh tonnes in Rabi and 3.48 lakh tonnes from the summer cropping season).
During the 2025-26 rabi season, urad was planted in about 6.06 lakh hectares till Jan-end, up marginally over the previous year’s 5.67 lakh hectares. In the ongoing summer season planting, urad has been sown in about 0.25 lakh hectares as on February 20, over 0.19 lakh hectares a year ago.
Published on February 23, 2026