Agriculture & Organic Commodities
Pulses & lentils knowledge centre
A pulse identity, its market class, its processing form and its commercial grade are different attributes. This guide separates them so buyers can compare like with like.
Evidence boundary
The table is an FSSAI reference baseline—not a batch COA or export-destination guarantee. Exact crop, origin, treatment, limits and testing are confirmed in the RFQ.
Identity map
Cicer arietinum
Trade names: Desi chana, Kabuli chana, Bengal gram, chana dal
Desi and Kabuli are market classes within chickpea. Declare class, seed size/count, colour and form instead of treating ‘premium’ as a measurable grade.
Vigna radiata
Trade names: Whole moong, split moong, moong dal
Whole retains the seed coat; split/dehusked programs must state whether the coat is retained and the allowed brokens/powder.
Vigna mungo
Trade names: Whole urad, split urad, urad dal
Do not confuse black seed-coat colour with the pale cotyledon of dehusked urad dal. Contract the processing form explicitly.
Cajanus cajan
Trade names: Arhar, tur, toor, toor dal
Arhar, tur and toor refer to the same pulse family; the sale specification still needs form, colour, polish treatment and defect limits.
Lens culinaris
Trade names: Whole masoor, red lentil, green lentil, masoor dal
Commercial colour names can describe seed coat or cotyledon. Pair the colour term with whole/dehusked/split form to remove ambiguity.
Pisum sativum
Trade names: Yellow peas, green peas, split peas
Specify dry food-grade peas, colour, whole or split form, and intended use; do not infer identity from colour alone.
Phaseolus vulgaris
Trade names: Rajma, kidney bean, common bean
Trade classes vary by seed shape, colour and size. These are buyer-agreed lot attributes, not one universal rajma grade.
Vigna unguiculata
Trade names: Black-eyed pea, lobia, cowpea
The black-eye is a market appearance descriptor. Contract colour, size/count, crop and defects against the offered lot.
Seed remains whole; state whether the natural seed coat is present and set tolerances for splits and brokens.
Cotyledons are split; declare dehusking, polish or oil treatment, broken/powder limits and colour expectations.
Milled product requires a separate particle-size, moisture, microbiological and destination-compliance specification; the whole/split pulse table is not a flour COA.
FSSAI reference baseline
Confirm the current regulation and destination rules at contract time.
| Parameter | With seed coat | Without seed coat |
|---|---|---|
| Moisture | ≤ 14% | ≤ 12% |
| Extraneous matter | ≤ 1% total | ≤ 1% total |
| Mineral matter (within extraneous matter) | ≤ 0.25% | ≤ 0.25% |
| Impurities of animal origin (within extraneous matter) | ≤ 0.10% | ≤ 0.10% |
| Other edible grains | ≤ 2% | ≤ 2% |
| Damaged grains | ≤ 5% | ≤ 5% |
| Weevilled grains | ≤ 2% by count | ≤ 2% by count |
| Uric acid | ≤ 100 mg/kg | ≤ 100 mg/kg |
Build a pulse request
Size/count, colour, crop year, origin, polish treatment, defect limits, packing and tests remain explicit quotation fields.
Declare family, market class, form, size/count, colour, crop, origin, defects, treatment and packing.
Align physical, contaminant, residue and microbiological tests with product form and destination.
‘Premium’ and ‘export standard’ are not substitutes for measurable limits or a lot-specific COA.