The Push for Self-Reliance in Dal and Oil

What India's recent missions for pulses and oilseeds aim to achieve, what tools they use, and whether full self-reliance is realistic or desirable.

India has launched new missions to reduce imports.

Pulses

The Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses, announced in the 2025 Budget and approved later that year, aims to boost tur, urad and masoor production.
Tools: better seeds, assured procurement at MSP, and expanding area, including rice fallows.

Oilseeds

The National Mission on Edible Oils - Oilseeds (2024) aims to raise domestic oilseed production substantially by 2030-31.
Focus on high-yielding seeds, processing and by-products.

Is full self-reliance desirable?

Supporters: reduces vulnerability to global shocks and saves foreign exchange.
Critics: importing some goods where other countries have comparative advantage can be cheaper; self-reliance may raise consumer prices.

A middle path

Many economists favour raising productivity so domestic crops can compete, while keeping trade open for stability.

Rice fallows

Millions of hectares lie fallow after rice harvests in eastern India. Growing pulses there could raise production without competing with other crops.

The rice fallow

After harvesting rice, a farmer in Odisha plants a quick crop of urad on residual soil moisture, earning extra income from land that would otherwise sit idle.

Thinking self-reliance means zero imports

A productive, open approach can balance security and cost.

Key takeaways

New missions target pulses and oilseed self-reliance.
Seeds, procurement and rice fallows are key tools.
Full self-reliance vs trade openness is debated.
Raising productivity is the common ground.