India bets on 100% MSP procurement of pulses, but the road to self-sufficiency is fraught with challenges

India, one of the world’s major agricultural economies, relies heavily on pulses as a primarily source of protein, especially in rural areas. The country’s average protein intake, however, is much lower than the WHO’s recommendation of 0.8-1 grams per kg of body weight, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). As awareness of balanced nutrition grows among people, protein-rich diets are gaining popularity. Pulses, which contain 20-25% protein by weight, play a crucial role in meeting that demand. Despite producing 27% of the…