10% Duty on Lentils Imposed, Yellow Peas Import Duty-Free Till May 31

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The government has imposed a 10% import duty on lentils (mosur), consisting of a 5% basic customs duty and a 5% Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess (AIDC), effective from March 8. This marks a change from the previous duty-free status on lentils.

Additionally, the government has extended the duty-free import of yellow peas until May 31, 2025, to ensure better availability of this commodity in the domestic market. The duty-free import of yellow peas was initially allowed in December 2023 and had been extended thrice until February 28.

As per estimates, India's import of yellow peas was around 30 lakh tonnes out of a total of 67 lakh tonnes of pulses imported during 2024.