UP Targets pulses area of 3 mn hactares: state agriculture minister

Saikat Mondal

26/02/2026

UP Targets pulses area of 3 mn hactares

Lucknow, Feb 26, 2026: Uttar Pradesh is aiming to significantly expand its pulses cultivation this year, targeting nearly 3 million hectares under pulses as part of efforts to boost farm incomes and reduce dependence on imports, State Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi said on Thursday.

Addressing farmers and media in Lucknow, Shahi outlined the state’s ambitious plan for the 2025-26 crop year, which envisages a year-on-year increase of about 20 % in pulses acreage, bringing it close to the three-million-hectare mark. Currently, the average productivity in the state stands at over 12 quintals per hectare, well above the national average of approximately 9.26 quintals.

Shahi highlighted Uttar Pradesh’s key role in the country’s pulses sector, noting that the state ranked fourth among Indian states in the 2024-25 season, producing about 3.08 million tonnes of pulses — roughly 12 % of national output. Despite being one of the top producers, India still imports between 15 % and 20 % of its annual pulse requirement to bridge the shortfall, with imports exceeding 7 million tonnes in the last fiscal from countries including Canada and Australia.

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To support the expansion, the Yogi Adityanath administration has emphasised distribution of high-quality seeds under the Pulses Self-Reliance Mission, distributing over 105,000 quintals of certified seeds and free seed mini kits to nearly 300,000 farmers. The state also achieved robust procurement of pulses — more than 75,000 tonnes — during 2024-25, Shahi said, and thanked Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for releasing ₹125 crore to promote pulses cultivation in the state.

The strategy also includes promoting intercropping with sugarcane and special programmes for lentil, urad and moong cultivation during Rabi and Zaid seasons to further enhance output and farmer earnings.