New Delhi, Nov. 10 -- After India's gram (chana) imports fell in FY26 from a record high a year earlier, the government is stepping up efforts to strengthen domestic production of the pulse and further reduce import dependence and keep prices under control.

The Department of Consumer Affairs is identifying rainfed areas that can be brought under chana cultivation, two people aware of the matter said.

It has identified 80 districts across states, including Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Jharkhand and Bihar, where rainfed land could be utilised to grow the crop, the people said.

India imported gram worth $3.63 billion in FY26, down from a record $5.54 billion in...