Higher MSP, import curbs help moong acreage surpass last year's level

Moong has become a standout crop in terms of acreage this kharif season compared to urad and tur or arhar, which, many traders said, could be correlated to the crop’s good procurement by state agencies, higher minimum support price (MSP), and also policies on imports. 

While areas under arhar and urad — the other major pulses grown during kharif season — are both trailing (as of August 1) compared to last year by 6.6 per cent and 2.1 per cent, respectively, acreage under moong is almost 3.2 per cent more than last year’s level. 

Moong imports into India are restricted while imports of arhar, matar, and urad are allowed at zero duty till March 31, 2026. Imports of chana and masoor are allowed with 10 per cent duty, also until March 31, 2026. 

Some traders said the sowing trend clearly shows that farmers  feel zero-duty imports could hurt their realisations in the coming months while it might not be the case  with moong. 

This is because at present, prices of all pulses except chana are trading much below their respective MSPs. Moong has the highest MSP in all pulses at ₹8,768 per quintal, which could also be contributing to the sowing trend. Data shows that until August 1, 2025, moong has been sown in around 3.21 million hectares (mha), which is 3.2 per cent more than the area covered during the same period last year. 

Normally, moong is grown in around 3.56 mha during the kharif season, which means that till August 1, around 90 per cent of the normal area has been covered. 

India usually grows around 3.5-3.7 million tonnes (mt) of moong, which is among the largest pulses crop after chana. Moong is a crop that is grown in several states of the country almost all round the year. 

Traders said that some harvest of moong happens in some states almost every month but majority of the crop, around 60-70 per cent, is harvested in the rabi and summer months. This harvest is called summer moong. 

Apart from moong, the country also annually harvests around 3.6-3.7 mt of tur, around 2-2.5 mt of urad, 1.6-1.7 mt of masoor and 7.5-8 mt of chana, the biggest of them all. Altogether, India domestically produces around 19-20 mt of pulses annually while the consumption is almost 26-27 mt, imports making up for the difference. 

India’s imports of pulses have been growing steadily due to low domestic crop and zero duty on imports. In 2024-25 (FY25), India imported around 6.7 mt of pulses, which is the highest in the past nine years. 

Traders said the biggest reason for the jump in moong acreage this year despite lower-than-usual price is the rise in acreage in Rajasthan. Farmers in the state seem to have opted for moong in lieu of either soybean or cotton, both of which have earned farmers’ apathy for different reasons.

 

So much so that Rajasthan has recorded the highest area under moong cultivation this year, with 2.32 mha sown, compared to 2.16 mha last year — a rise of 0.15 mha.  “Moong has a short crop duration, allowing farmers to prepare for the next crop quickly. Farmers currently have limited alternative crop options, making moong the preferred choice. Moreover, immediately after moong harvest, mustard sowing begins. Rajasthan is a leading mustard-producing state in India, and a recent surge in mustard prices has further encouraged farmers to opt for moong,” said Rahul Chauhan, commodity analyst from iGrain India. He said the possibility of government procurement and restrictions on imports have also contributed to the increase in moong sowing.