India's Pulse Imports to Reach 3.5 MMT India, the world's biggest buyer of pulses (lentils), in 2010/11 reduced its imports to 2.7 MMT because farmers, encouraged by subsidized supplies of high-yielding seeds and other inputs available through various government schemes, planted more of the crop. As the prices of inputs increased, subsidies were kept at the same levels. The area under pulses is likely to remain stagnant unless the government of India (GOI) gives farmers more incentives to grow them.With the onset of summer, vegetable prices have skyrocketed and food inflation is likely to pinch at least until July. Fruit and vegetable outputs have shrunk, hurt by rising temperatures and a lack of water. Meanwhile, edible oil and pulse pr...