Indian pulses specifications for importers
Pulses trade on form, sizing and cleanliness, and most disputes at the destination port trace back to a contract that named a commodity without naming its grade. This note sets out how the principal Indian lines differ, how each is graded, and the tolerances worth fixing in writing before loading.
The principal lines
| Pulse | Botanical name | Commercial forms | Sizing basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toor / Arhar (Pigeon pea) | Cajanus cajan | Whole, split (dal), oiled or unoiled polished | 4.0 to 5.5 mm whole grain |
| Moong (Green gram) | Vigna radiata | Whole green, split with skin (chilka), washed yellow split | 3.0 to 4.0 mm whole grain |
| Urad (Black gram) | Vigna mungo | Whole black, split with skin, washed white split (dhuli) | 3.0 to 4.0 mm whole grain |
| Chana (Bengal gram / desi chickpea) | Cicer arietinum | Whole desi, split chana dal, besan grade | Counted per 100 g; 42 to 44 count is the common export call |
| Masoor (Red lentil) | Lens culinaris | Whole brown, football split, malka | Split grade sorted on colour depth |
Toor / Arhar (Pigeon pea)
The staple split pulse of Indian kitchens and the highest volume line into the Gulf and East Africa. Unoiled is preferred where the buyer wants no mineral or castor oil declaration; oiled polish extends shelf appearance but must be disclosed.
Moong (Green gram)
Fast cooking and the pulse most often specified for sprouting. Sprouting buyers require germination above 85% and no heat treatment, which rules out most fumigated lots.
Urad (Black gram)
Dhuli urad drives batter fermentation for idli and dosa, so buyers judge it on whiteness and freshness rather than size. Old crop loses fermentation performance even when it looks clean.
Chana (Bengal gram / desi chickpea)
Priced on count and colour uniformity. Kabuli chickpea is a separate line sized by millimetre (8, 9, 10, 12 mm) and should never be quoted interchangeably with desi.
Masoor (Red lentil)
Cooks fastest of the major pulses and is the usual entry line for a new buyer testing a supplier, since defects show immediately in a boil test.
Contract tolerances to specify
These are the figures an inspection agency will measure at load port or discharge, and the ones that decide whether a cargo is accepted at contract price.
- Moisture
- 12.0% maximum for whole pulses, 11.0% preferred for splits
- Foreign matter
- 0.5% maximum, of which mineral matter 0.1% maximum
- Damaged and weevilled
- 1.0% maximum combined unless a tighter figure is contracted
- Split and broken (in whole grades)
- 2.0% maximum
- Immature and shrivelled
- 2.0% maximum
- Admixture of other pulses
- 1.0% maximum
- Infestation
- Nil live insect at time of loading
- Aflatoxin B1 / total
- 2 ppb / 4 ppb for EU destinations; confirm the destination limit before contracting
Milling, polish and declaration
A split pulse passes through dehusking, splitting and polishing, and each stage changes how the lot looks and how it is declared. Water polish gives a matt natural finish. Edible oil polish gives gloss and must be declared with the oil named. Mineral oil polish is still traded in some markets but is rejected outright across the EU and increasingly in the Gulf, so it should never be shipped against a plain toor dal contract. Where a buyer asks for besan grade chana or dhuli urad for batter, specify freshness in months from milling rather than only appearance, because performance falls before colour does.
Packing and container planning
Standard export packing runs 1 kg consumer packs through 25 kg and 50 kg PP or jute bags, palletised or floor loaded. Reckon on 25 to 27 metric tonnes of pulses in a 20 foot container. Specify liner bags for humid destinations, confirm the fumigation requirement and treatment certificate before booking, and agree whether the phytosanitary certificate is issued against the shipping mark or the lot number, since a mismatch there holds a container at destination longer than any quality question.
Frequently asked
What moisture content should pulses be shipped at?
12.0% maximum for whole pulses and 11.0% for splits. Splits carry more surface area and absorb moisture faster in a container, so the tighter figure protects against caking and mould over a four to six week voyage.
What is the difference between oiled and unoiled toor dal?
Oiled toor dal is polished with a thin film of edible or mineral oil to give a glossy uniform finish and to slow moisture pickup. Unoiled dal is polished with water or left plain. Many destinations require the oil type declared on the label, and some buyers reject mineral oil outright, so the contract must state which is being supplied.
How is chana graded for export?
Desi chana is graded by count per 100 grams, with 42 to 44 count the common export call and lower counts meaning larger grain and higher price. Kabuli chickpea is graded by millimetre diameter instead, typically 8 mm to 12 mm. The two systems are not interchangeable.
How much can a container hold?
A 20 foot container takes roughly 25 to 27 metric tonnes of pulses in 25 kg or 50 kg PP bags depending on bag size and stow pattern. A 40 foot container is volume limited rather than weight limited for most pulse lines, so bagging density decides the final figure.
Do pulses need fumigation before export?
Most destinations require a phytosanitary certificate and many require methyl bromide or phosphine fumigation with a treatment certificate issued before loading. Sprouting grade moong is the exception, since fumigation and heat treatment reduce germination, so those lots move under a cold or controlled atmosphere protocol instead.
For grain specifications, read Indian basmati grades and specifications. For the paperwork sequence behind a shipment, read rice export documentation from India, or send us a specification and we will quote against it.