Trailing towards self-reliance in pulses
- Agricultural Situation in India
- 78(4), Jul, 2021: p.10-24
Grain legumes are excellent source of protein, dietary fibres, starch, micronutrients and vitamins particularly for economically poor section of population in India. The study is targeted to analyse the growth in area and production, demand, availability and trade of pulses in India and also to examine policy options for enhancing pulses production. Pulses reached to all high time production level of 23.92 million tonnes in TE 2018-19.The pulses production registered an annual increase of 3.84 percent in production in nearly last two decades owing to expanding area and better yield. Madhya Pradesh alone contributed about one third (30.95%) of pulses production in India indicating a growth rate of 5.57 percent. Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh share about 70 percent of total pulses production in India. Chickpea, lentil and pigeon pea are vastly cultivated in these states. Uttar Pradesh has indicated a negative growth in pulses due to shifting of area towards wheat, paddy, oilseeds and sugarcane production due to encouraging public policies and profitability. The chickpea area is mostly concentrated in central and southern region of India owing to evolution of short duration with tolerance of biotic and abiotic stresses. The net availability of pulses in India improved noticeably in recent years reaching to level of 20.40 kg/ year /capita as result of higher internal production and large import from North America, Russia, Australia, Myanmar and African nations. India imported one fourth of total pulses production mainly lentil, dry peas, pigeon pea, mung bean and urad bean to meet rising demand of vegetarian population. India also exported kabuli chickpea and organic pulses to markets in Indian sub-continent, African nations and Gulf countries. – Reproduced