ISLAMABAD:Expressing deep concern over Pakistan’s rising import of pulses, experts at a seminar in Islamabad on Tuesday, called on the government to bring about urgent policy reforms and value chain development to revive the production of pulses and strengthen the country’s food system.

At a seminar on ‘Developing Competitive and Inclusive Value Chains of Pulses in Pakistan’, experts warned that Pakistan’s growing reliance on pulses import is costing nearly $1 billion annually, which is a stark reflection of declining domestic production and widening food and protein crisis.

They noted that pulses are a key source of affordable nutrition for low-income populations, yet farmers are shifting to more profitable crops due to low margins in pulse cultivation.

Prof Dr Azam Khan, the Chairman of Department of Horticulture, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, said Pakistan’s heavy dependence on pulses importrepresents a major drain on foreign exchange, particularly at a time when the country is facing acute economic pressures.

Providing an overview of the sector, pulses expert Dr Shahid Riaz Malik said Pakistan’s total cropped area is about 22.51 million hectares, but pulses cover only 1.16 million hectares, which is just five per cent of the total crop area. Major pulses which are grown in the country include lentils, chickpeas, mung beans, mash and kidney beans.

However, he said production trends remain concerning. He pointed out that while the national average pulse yield is about 553 kg per hectare, progressive farmers achieve up to 1,500 kg per hectare, indicating a significant yield gap.

The seminar was organized by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) in collaboration with Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR).

He said that 40 per cent of households in the country suffer from protein deficiency, while over 24 per cent population faces moderate to severe food insecurity. He maintained that affordable protein sources such as pulses are vital for the country’s food security strategy.

ACIAR Country Manager, Dr Munawar Raza Kazmi said the organisation had been working with Pakistani partners since 2017 to improve pulse production, marketing and value chains. ACIAR promotes collaborative research rather than working in isolation, he said, adding that Australia is the world’s largest producer and exporter of pulses, while Pakistan remains an important importer.

Furthermore, Dr Kazmi added that field research has been conducted in Rawalpindi, Chakwal, and Bhakkar, engaging local farmers to test improved practices. However, he maintained that one of the missing links had been connecting research findings with policymakers.

“If we generate quality evidence but fail to communicate it effectively to policymakers, it is our flaw,” he remarked, appreciating SDPI’s role in bridging the gap between research and policy circles.

He stressed that Pakistan must revive pulse cultivation on fertile lands instead of relegating it to marginal areas.

Presenting findings from the ACIAR project, Dr Burhan Ahmed, Project Lead, said the initiative is being implemented by the University of Agriculture Faisalabad in collaboration with partner institutions across six sites such as Multan, Mankera, Chakwal, Karak, Sukkur and Larkana.

He said the project follows a participatory and whole-of-chain approach, engaging farmers, communities and market actors to co-design solutions while promoting gender and social inclusion to empower women, youth and marginalized groups.

The research identified several major constraints, including poor seed quality, disease outbreaks, climate risks, low farm-gate prices, weak farmer-market linkages and inadequate post-harvest and processing facilities.

However, the project also encountered challenges such as limited trust between growers and commercial partners, irregular demand from buyers, logistics constraints and quality control issues at farm level.

Highlighting policy initiatives, Dr Arshad Bashir, Director, Social Sciences Research Institute at PARC, said the project led to the formation of a Project Advisory Committee and a national Pulses Taskforce to guide policy development.

He said the Pulses Industry Development Strategy (PIDS) had been developed through stakeholder consultations and policy forums.

Published in Dawn, March 11th, 2026