Pigeon Pea Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Product Type (Dried Pigeon Peas (Whole Dried Pigeon Peas and Split Pigeon Peas (Unpolished and Polished)), Frozen Pigeon Peas, Canned Pigeon Peas, and Fresh Pigeon Peas), By Nature (Conventional and Organic), By Packaging Format (Packaged (Up to 1 kg, >1 kg to 5 kg, >5 kg to 25 kg) and Loose/Unpackaged), By End Use (Retail (Supermarkets and Hypermarkets, Specialty Food Stores, and Online Retail), Foodservice (Full-Service Restaurants, Quick-Service & Fast-Casual Restaurants, Hotels), and Food Processing), and Regional Forecast, 2026-2034

The global pigeon pea market size was valued at USD 5.96 billion in 2025. The market is projected to grow from USD 6.23 billion in 2026 to USD 9.12 billion by 2034, exhibiting a CAGR of 4.89% during the forecast period.

Pigeon pea, also known as Cajanus cajan, is a grain legume that belongs to the pulse crops group and is cultivated mainly for its immature green seeds and mature dry seeds. The key raw ingredients required for pigeon pea-based products are the harvested seeds produced from mature pea pods. Pigeon pea post-harvest processing includes dehulling, cleaning, and sorting, which enhances shelf life and quality. A few of the common types of cajan pea are frozen, canned, and whole pigeon peas. In terms of origination, India is recognized as the major producer and consumer of this food crop, followed by Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, and Myanmar. The expanding food and beverage processing industry, strong focus on the development of drought-tolerant pigeon peas or early-maturing pigeon peas, and flourishing export markets are factors propelling the global market growth. 

Companies such as Export Trading Group, AGT Food and Ingredients Inc., and AWL Agri Business Limited are prominent players in the market. New product launches are a pivotal strategy adopted by key players to improve their position.

PIGEON PEA MARKET TRENDS

Increasing Functional Snacking Trend Boosts Pigeon-Pea-Based Product Innovation

The global market is experiencing an emerging trend toward pigeon-pea-based functional snacking products. In today’s era, most individuals are gravitating toward healthy snack items composed of plant-based components. Pigeon pea aligns well with this demand as it provides essential minerals, protein, carbohydrates, and fiber, making it ideal for enhancing the nutritional profile of food items that are commonly produced using refined ingredients. Food producers are using cajan pea flour with rice, maize, and other grains to attain better crispness and texture of chips, savory bites, crackers, and extruded products. Moreover, processing techniques such as fermentation and extrusion are further enhancing the adoption of such pea in snacks by minimizing undesirable flavors and improving finished product’s stability. 

MARKET DYNAMICS

MARKET DRIVERS

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Rising Demand for Clean-Label Products Propels the Market Growth

The surging inclination toward clean-label items is a key driver boosting the use of pigeon pea. Today, more than half of the population is health-conscious and is seeking products that are clean and naturally derived. Pigeon pea flour and numerous other forms address this demand as it offers starch and protein, allowing producers to enhance the nutritional value of end products without depending on various synthetic components. When this ingredient is combined with rice or wheat in noodles, it enhances the magnesium and protein content. Likewise, it is used in snack bars where it strengthens the structure and firmness. Moreover, it boosts amino acid and protein quality in crackers. Seeing such advantages, the emerging snack brands are aiming at introducing nutritious and healthy snacks composed of pigeon pea.

MARKET RESTRAINTS

Fluctuations in Climatic Conditions to Hamper Consistent Market Supply of Pigeon Pea

One of the primary obstacles in the global pigeon pea market growth is variations in climatic conditions. Globally, the cultivation of such pea relies heavily on temperature and rainfall conditions as the majority of the crop is produced in semi-arid farming systems. Prolonged drought, irregular rainfall, and excessive rainfall during pod and flowering formation can reduce grain weight and pod setting, ultimately affecting crop quality. Such challenges can lead to notable annual variations in cajan pea production across key originating countries, including Kenya, India, Myanmar, and Tanzania. Inconsistent or lower harvests can constrain pea availability for food processors and exporters, which fuels procurement costs. Moreover, climate-related difficulties can affect export commitments, further hindering the global market share.

MARKET OPPORTUNITIES

Technological Advancements in the Pigeon Pea Industry to Create Growth Opportunities

The utilization of advanced technologies in the pigeon pea sector opens various growth opportunities. To improve productivity, companies are using hybrid breeding technologies. This method uses parent varieties to manufacture cultivars with enhanced adaptability along with strong productivity. Technological advancements in farm machinery aid in minimizing labor requirements and also reduce manufacturing costs. Moreover, modern milling, grading, and dehulling technologies adoption are helpful in strengthening end product’s quality and efficiency. In addition, a few players are exploring genomic-assisted breeding, which includes the use of molecular markers and genome sequencing, known for improving nutritional characteristics, disease resistance, as well as seed quality.  

Segmentation Analysis

By Product Type

Dried Pigeon Peas Dominated the Market Due to Prolonged Shelf Life

Depending on the product type, the market is segmented into dried pigeon peas, frozen pigeon peas, canned pigeon peas, and fresh pigeon peas.   

The dried pigeon peas segment led the market in 2025. As compared to fresh peas, the dried form has minimal dependency on cold chain and can be easily stored and transported without temperature-controlled infrastructure. This product has reduced moisture and is ideal for export and bulk trade. Moreover, minimal packaging requirements and less reliance on preservatives fuel its popularity. In addition, reduced risk of temperature-related distribution losses and improved control over cooking further fuels the segment’s momentum.

The frozen pigeon peas segment is projected to grow at a high CAGR of 10.35% over the forecast period.

By Nature

Conventional Peas Led the Industry Due to Higher Yield

By nature, the market is divided into conventional and organic.

The conventional segment dominated the market in 2025, as such peas cultivation typically involves reduced compliance and certification costs when compared to organic production. This type of cultivation offers stable yields as growers can easily utilize insecticides, fertilizers, and other synthetic solutions when needed. Moreover, the growers have easy access to a range of crop protection solutions specifically for disease and pest management. In addition, it is ideal for mass-market items and has improved availability in commercial markets, which enhances the segment’s potential.

The organic segment is projected to grow at a high CAGR of 8.38% over the forecast period.

By Packaging Format

Packaged Segment Led the Market Owing to Strong Consumer Confidence

On the basis of packaging format, the market is distributed into packaged and loose/unpackaged.

The packaged segment led the pigeon pea market share in 2025. Packaged peas are sorted, cleaned, and graded before sale, which leads to consistent moisture level and grain size. This pack format has clear product information and traceability, which strengthens consumer’s trust. Moreover, as compared to loose formats, standard packs are easier to store and transport. In addition, reduced risk of mixing and adulteration and improved suitability for e-commerce and organized retail further support the growth.

The loose/unpackaged segment is projected to grow at a CAGR of 3.04% over the forecast period.

By End Use

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Retail Segment Led Owing to High Household Consumption

By end use, the market is classified into retail, foodservice, and food processing. 

The retail segment led the global market space in 2025. The segment gains advantage from daily household consumption, which creates a high demand as compared to food processing and foodservice. These outlets allow pigeon pea to capture significant shelf space, whereas industrial manufacturers purchase in bulk where branding is less visible, especially to the customer. Moreover, a vast option of promotional coupons and discounts can add value to the segment’s growth.

The food processing segment is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.66% over the forecast period.

Pigeon Pea Market Regional Outlook

By region, the market is categorized into Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, South America, and the Middle East & Africa.

Asia Pacific

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Asia Pacific dominated and was estimated to reach USD 4.71 billion in 2025. The rising pulse production and inclination toward preserved pigeon peas drive the regional growth.

India Pigeon Pea Market

The Indian market size in 2025 was estimated at around USD 3.62 billion, accounting for roughly 60.68% of global revenues.

China Pigeon Pea Market

China's market size is projected to be one of the largest worldwide, with revenues estimated at around USD 0.37 billion in 2025, accounting for roughly 6.15% of global sales.

Japan Pigeon Pea Market

The Japan market value in 2025 was estimated at around USD 0.13 billion, accounting for approximately 2.13% of global revenues.

Middle East & Africa

The Middle East & Africa region reached USD 0.61 billion in 2025, securing the second position in the market. The increasing demand for plant-based ingredients and flourishing retail sector escalates the growth momentum.

South Africa Pigeon Pea Market

The South African market size reached around USD 0.08 billion in 2025, representing roughly 1.26% of global revenues.

North America

North America reached a valuation of USD 0.28 billion in 2025, ranking third in the global market space. The surging launches of pigeon-pea-based products and expanding foodservice stores boost the market’s potential.

U.S. Pigeon Pea Market

Based on North America's strong contribution and the U.S. dominance within the region, the U.S. market can be analytically approximated at around USD 0.20 billion in 2025, accounting for roughly 3.28% of global sales.

Europe

Europe reached a valuation of USD 0.23 billion in 2025, recording a growth rate of 6.06% over the forecast period. The robust supply chain network and inclination toward cajan pea ingredients are propelling the regional potential.

Germany Pigeon Pea Market

The German market size in 2025 was estimated at around USD 0.05 billion, representing roughly 0.82% of global revenues.

U.K. Pigeon Pea Market

The U.K. market value reached approximately USD 0.06 billion in 2025, equivalent to around 1.09% of global sales.

South America

The South America region is expected to witness moderate growth in this market space during the forecast period. The region’s market reached a valuation of USD 0.13 billion in 2025. The rising import of canned pea and growing presence of renowned players are expected to drive demand.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Key Industry Players

Product Innovation Helps Enterprises to Strengthen Market Reach

The global pigeon pea sector is moderately fragmented, with strong competition between regional processors, branded pulse firms, and international pulse traders. Prominent participants such as Export Trading Group, AGT Food and Ingredients Inc., and AWL Agri Business Limited compete via product’s quality, sourcing strength, and export networks. Moreover, the firms are trying to strengthen their position in the global space by la    unching new pigeon peas which are of premium quality and can be utilized in an array of food preparation along with promotional campaigns.

LIST OF KEY PIGEON PEA COMPANIES PROFILED

• AGT Food and Ingredients Inc. (Canada)
• AWL Agri Business Limited (India)
• Somani Agro Exports Ltd. (Tanzania)
• Tata Consumer Products Limited (India)
• Export Trading Group (South Africa)
• Kapadiya Expo Company (India)
• Surendra Pulses (India)
• AHAR Holding (Mozambique)
• ADMARC Limited (Malawi)
• Agrico Marketing (Mozambique)

KEY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS

• June 2025: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, an Indian research institute, announced the news of developing its first pigeonpea cultivar, ICPV 25444, through speed breeding.
• January 2025: Kalimark, a known soft drink brand in Tamil Nadu, India, launched high-grade pigeon pea, which is available in a 1 kg package.
• November 2024: Tata Sampann, an Indian food & beverage brand of Tata Consumer Products, revealed a campaign promoting the benefits of unpolished pulses. This campaign was showcased on social media platforms and features chef Ranveer Brar and Sanjeev Kapoor.
• August 2024: Louis Dreyfus Company, a Dutch enterprise, constructed a new dedicated pulses business unit.
• February 2023: Export Trading Group, a UAE-based manufacturer and supplier of agricultural commodities, released a plant-centric retail pulse brand, Naturz. Through this brand, it offers split pigeon peas, chickpeas, lentils, mung beans, and others.

REPORT COVERAGE

The global market provides an in-depth study of the market size & forecast by all the market segments included in the market reports. The global market forecast analysis includes details on the market dynamics and global market trends expected to drive the market during the forecast period. The global pigeon pea market analysis offers information on the technological advancements, new product launches, key industry developments, and details on partnerships, mergers & acquisitions. The global market report forecast also encompasses a detailed competitive landscape with information on the market segmentation, market share, and profiles of key operating players.

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Report Scope & Segmentation

Research Methodology

1. Bottom-Up Approaches

Approach 1: Revenues and Market Share of Major Pigeon Pea Players

• Collection of pigeon pea market revenues from annual reports, stock-exchange filings, investor presentations, earnings transcripts, company websites, product catalogues, press releases, acquisition disclosures, processing disclosures, export records, sourcing information, and pulse-trading or agricultural procurement data.
• Analysis of major participants such as Export Trading Group (ETG), AGT Food and Ingredients Inc., Tata Consumer Products Limited, AWL Agri Business Limited, ADMARC Limited, AHAR Holding, Somani Agro Exports Ltd., Agrico Marketing, K U Distributors Ltd., Hectar Global Pte. Ltd., and other relevant pigeon pea processors, traders, exporters, and branded pulse suppliers.
• Identification of revenues generated from whole pigeon peas, dehulled pigeon peas, split pigeon peas or toor/arhar dal, polished and unpolished pigeon peas, pigeon pea flour, and other commercially processed pigeon pea products supplied to retail, foodservice, pulse milling, and food-processing customers.
• Separation of pigeon pea revenues from revenues generated through chickpeas, lentils, peas, mung beans, black gram, kidney beans, cowpeas, soybeans, cereals, oilseeds, spices, ready meals, other pulses, and unrelated agricultural or food operations.
• Estimation of company-level pigeon pea revenue using reported pulse revenue, product portfolio, sourcing volumes, procurement network, milling capacity, processing output, export shipments, geographic exposure, distribution channels, product mix, and average selling prices.
• Assessment of revenues generated through bulk commodity trading, pulse milling, branded retail packs, private-label supply, wholesale distribution, institutional contracts, foodservice supply, and sales to food-processing companies.
• Addition of estimated revenues of private, regional, vertically integrated, and smaller pigeon pea processors, traders, millers, exporters, and packaged-dal companies to calculate the global market value.
• Reconciliation of company-level revenues with global pigeon pea production, international trade, apparent consumption, processing capacity, milling output, and country-level market estimates.

Approach 2: Country-Level Apparent Consumption and End-Use Analysis

• Collection of pigeon pea production, imports, exports, re-exports, carryover stocks, government procurement, buffer-stock movement, and processing data across major producing and consuming countries.
• Estimation of country-level apparent consumption using domestic pigeon pea production plus imports, less exports and relevant re-exports, with stock and inventory adjustments where reliable information is available.
• Classification of apparent consumption across household retail, foodservice, pulse milling, and industrial food-processing applications.
• Estimation of household consumption through supermarkets and hypermarkets, traditional grocery stores, pulse retailers, convenience stores, online grocery platforms, wholesalers, and other consumer-facing channels.
• Estimation of foodservice consumption across restaurants, hotels, institutional kitchens, caterers, canteens, religious and community foodservice, and other out-of-home channels where pigeon pea or toor dal is used.
• Estimation of pigeon peas consumed by food processors for dal, flour, snacks, crackers, chips, noodles, instant foods, breakfast products, bakery products, pulse-based ingredients, and other value-added food applications.
• Adjustment for dehulling losses, splitting yields, broken grains, polishing losses, moisture variation, sorting rejects, storage losses, inventory movement, and differences between harvested weight, cleaned grain weight, and final saleable product weight.
• Application of country-specific average selling prices by product form, quality grade, origin, processing level, packaging format, channel, and whether the product is sold in bulk, branded, or private-label form.
• Calculation of country-level market value by multiplying estimated net pigeon pea consumption by the applicable weighted average selling price.
• Adjustment for differences in per-capita pulse consumption, dependence on pigeon pea as a staple, domestic production, import reliance, consumer purchasing power, organized retail penetration, foodservice activity, milling infrastructure, and local price levels.
• Aggregation of country-level values to estimate regional and global market sizes.
• Allocation of market values by product form, processing type, end use, distribution channel, country, region, and global market.

Approach 3: Processing Capacity, Procurement and Supply Model

• Collection of the number and scale of pigeon pea millers, pulse-processing plants, cleaning and grading facilities, dehulling and splitting units, packaging facilities, warehouses, commodity traders, exporters, and vertically integrated agricultural companies operating in each country.
• Assessment of annual pigeon pea cultivation, procurement, aggregation, cleaning, grading, dehulling, splitting, polishing, milling, packaging, and storage capacity.
• Estimation of capacity utilization using reported procurement volumes, crop availability, plant throughput, export shipments, seasonal harvesting patterns, government procurement, and operating disclosures.
• Classification of processing capacity by cleaning and grading, dehulling, splitting, polishing, flour milling, sorting, packaging, and other commercial pigeon pea-processing operations.
• Assessment of production by whole pigeon peas, dehulled pigeon peas, split pigeon peas or toor dal, polished and unpolished dal, pigeon pea flour, and other value-added forms.
• Evaluation of raw-material sourcing from domestic farmers, farmer cooperatives, aggregators, contract farming, government procurement channels, imports, commodity traders, and third-party suppliers.
• Estimation of annual saleable pigeon pea output using procurement or installed processing capacity multiplied by capacity utilization, adjusted for harvest seasonality, raw-material availability, dehulling and splitting yields, grain losses, product mix, and operational downtime.
• Estimation of market value using saleable pigeon pea output multiplied by average selling prices across bulk trading, wholesale, foodservice, industrial-processing, private-label, and branded retail formats.
• Adjustment for differences in grain size, color, moisture content, origin, variety, cleanliness, dal recovery, polished versus unpolished form, packaging, certification, contract terms, and domestic versus export pricing.
• Country-level estimates are summed to derive regional and global pigeon pea market sizes.

2. Top-Down Approaches

Approach 1: Global Pulse Supply, Trade and Addressable Pigeon Pea Analysis

• Analysis of the parent addressable market using global pulse production, pigeon pea cultivation and output, international pulse trade, per-capita pulse consumption, food expenditure, and household and foodservice demand.
• Separation of pigeon peas from chickpeas, lentils, dry peas, beans, mung beans, black gram, cowpeas, soybeans, and other pulses and leguminous crops outside the market scope.
• Identification of pigeon pea volumes entering commercial food channels rather than seed use, feed use, on-farm retention, crop losses, or other non-covered applications.
• Estimation of the proportion of pigeon pea production marketed as whole grain, dehulled pigeon peas, split dal, polished and unpolished dal, flour, and other included processed formats.
• Application of country-level commercialization and market-penetration rates based on pigeon pea consumption patterns, domestic production, import dependence, milling infrastructure, organized retail development, foodservice demand, export orientation, and prevalence of loose versus packaged pulse sales.
• Estimation of average market value using product-form-weighted, quality-weighted, and country-specific selling prices rather than applying a single global price.
• Separation of the value attributable to commercially traded pigeon peas from further-processed finished foods where pigeon pea represents only one ingredient, such as packaged meals, snacks, bakery products, noodles, and ready-to-eat foods, unless such products are explicitly included in the market scope.
• Allocation of the resulting market across product form, processing type, end use, distribution channel, country, and region.
• Aggregation of country-level estimates and reconciliation with company revenues, apparent consumption, production volumes, processing capacity, government procurement, and international trade data.

3. List of Key Sources

• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, International Trade Centre, United Nations Statistics Division–UN Comtrade, World Trade Organization, World Customs Organization, World Bank, OECD, and regional agricultural and food databases.
• Food and Agriculture Organization Corporate Statistical Database (FAOSTAT), International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), CGIAR, International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas where relevant, and national agricultural research institutions.
• U.S. Department of Agriculture, Directorate General of Foreign Trade of India, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare of India, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India, National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India, Directorate of Economics and Statistics, and Food Corporation or state procurement agencies where relevant.
• Ministry of Agriculture and national statistical offices of Tanzania, Mozambique, Malawi, Myanmar, Kenya, Uganda, Australia, Canada, and other major pigeon pea-producing or trading countries.
• Tanzania Revenue Authority, Mozambique customs authorities, Malawi Revenue Authority, Indian customs and trade databases, port statistics, export inspection records, phytosanitary agencies, and national commodity boards.
• Company annual reports, stock-exchange filings, investor presentations, earnings transcripts, sustainability reports, press releases, procurement disclosures, processing-capacity information, product catalogues, export records, customer information, acquisition documents, and distribution disclosures.
• Pigeon pea production, harvested area, yields, import and export volumes, government procurement, buffer stocks, mill throughput, processing losses, retail sales, packaged-dal penetration, foodservice procurement, product launches, pricing movements, supply agreements, and relevant corporate transactions.
• Customs records, port shipment statistics, phytosanitary certificates, commodity exchange data, warehouse receipts, farmer procurement records, mandi or wholesale market prices, pulse milling statistics, and country-level household food-consumption and expenditure surveys.

4. Primary Interviews

Supply Side Interviews: 60%

• Key respondents: Discussions with pigeon pea growers, farmer cooperatives, aggregators, pulse millers, processors, exporters, importers, commodity traders, wholesalers, distributors, branded dal companies, private-label suppliers, warehouse operators, and food-ingredient manufacturers.
• Key respondents include chief executives, commercial directors, commodity traders, export managers, procurement heads, plant managers, milling managers, operations managers, sourcing managers, sales directors, product managers, quality-assurance leaders, supply-chain heads, and regional business managers.
• Interviews assess pigeon pea procurement volumes, sourcing regions, crop availability, processing and milling capacity, capacity utilization, product mix, dal recovery, whole versus split demand, polished versus unpolished demand, customer channels, geographic sales, export activity, packaging formats, prices, quality specifications, inventory levels, supply constraints, and future investment plans.
• Interviews also evaluate the impact of rainfall variability, crop yields, pest incidence, government procurement, import regulations, farmer realizations, transportation costs, storage conditions, and raw-material quality on commercial pigeon pea supply.

Demand Side Interviews: 40%

• Key respondents: Discussions with supermarkets, hypermarkets, traditional grocery retailers, pulse wholesalers, online grocery platforms, foodservice distributors, restaurants, hotels, institutional kitchens, caterers, dal buyers, food manufacturers, snack producers, bakery companies, noodle manufacturers, ready-meal companies, and other industrial users of pigeon peas or pigeon pea flour.
• Key respondents include category managers, pulse buyers, procurement directors, foodservice purchasing managers, chefs, supply-chain managers, product-development teams, R&D managers, quality managers, brand managers, and institutional procurement officials.
• Interviews assess pigeon pea purchasing volumes, whole versus split preferences, polished versus unpolished demand, preferred grain size and origin, packaged versus loose-product penetration, price sensitivity, supplier selection, cooking quality, dal recovery, inventory management, foodservice utilization, product innovation, clean-label requirements, pigeon pea flour adoption, procurement barriers, and future demand expectations.
• Demand-side interviews also assess the use of pigeon pea in traditional dal, packaged staples, instant foods, chips, crackers, snack bars, noodles, bakery products, flour blends, and other value-added applications to determine how product innovation is influencing commercial consumption beyond conventional household use.