Previous Year Question

At the time relevant to the question, India's domestic demand for pulses exceeded domestic production. India was therefore generally a net importer of pulses and had to import substantial quantities to meet domestic requirements.

In 2012-13, India's pulse production was about 18.45 million tonnes, while around 3.84 million tonnes of pulses were imported. The Government also recognised imports as necessary to bridge the domestic demand-supply gap.

In contrast, rice and wheat were among India's important agricultural export commodities. A Government statement in 2013 also described India as a net exporter of wheat and rice at that time.

Sugar exports may vary from year to year depending on production, domestic availability and government export policy, but sugar has generally been treated as an exportable commodity.

Therefore, in the context of the question period, Pulses were the commodity not usually exported from India.

Current Status (2026): This statement should not be interpreted literally today. India now exports pulses as well. In FY 2025-26, about 1.001 million tonnes of pulses were exported. However, India also remains a major importer; during April-July 2026-27 alone, imports were about 1.733 million tonnes. Thus, India currently both exports and imports pulses, while imports remain important because of domestic demand.