< General Studies Home Page 

Content

• Introduction
• Advantages/Positives about Pulses
• Various pulses and production in India
• Steps which have been taken to increase pulse production

---

Introduction:

• Pulses are the important source of proteins, vitamins and minerals and are popularly known as “Poor man’s meat”.

Advantages/Positives about Pulses

• Nutritional Security: In a country like India, where many people are poor and vegetarian, pulses are an important and affordable source of protein.
• Suitable for Marginal Environment: Drought resistant and deep rooting species of pulses can supply ground water to companion crops when planted in inter cropping pattern.
  • Locally adapted pulse varities can enhance production system in dry environments.
• Increase fertility of Land: The leguminous plants of pulse also help in nitrogen fixation and thus ensuring higher fertility of soil.
• Low food wastage footprint: Pulses can be stored for longer period without losing their nutritional value and minimizing loss.

Various pulses and production in India.

• India is the largest producer (25% of global production), consumer (27% of world consumption) and importer (14%) of pulses in the world.
  • They account for 20% of India’s total area under cultivation and provide 7-10% of the total food grains in the country.
• The overall pulse production in India has gone up from 8.4 million tonnes in 1950-51 to 27 million tonnes in 2022-23.
  • In fact, in the last decade, India’s production has increased by 50% (from 18 million tonnes to 27 million tonnes)
  • But, pulse production has not increased in step with the population growth, per capita availability of pulses have declined from 22.1 kg per person in 1951 to 16.4 kg per person in 2022.
  • Though there is surplus production of Chana, the imperfect substitution among pulses and limited international availability put pressure on the prices of some pulses.

Main Crops

• Bengal Gram (Desi Chick Pea/ Desi Channa), Pigeon Peas (Arhar/ Toor/ Red Gram), Green Beans (Moong Beans), Chick Peas (Kabuli Chana), Black Matpe (Urad / Mah / Black Gram), Red Kidney Beans (Rajma), Black eyed Peas (Lobiya), Lentils (Masoor), White Peas (Matar) are major pulses grown and consumed in India.
• Rabi Crops (60% Production Share): Gram, Peas, lentil (masur), and black gram
• Kharif Crops (40% Production Share): Arhar(tur), Moong and Urad etc.
• Gram (with 50% share) is the most dominant pulse produced and consumed in India. it is followed by Tur/Arhar (15-20%) and Urad & Moong (8-10%)
  • Note: Experts say that Tur’s consumption in meals as dal is much more than that of Chana. Chana is used more on account of its use in packaged food.
• Gram is the crop of subtropical areas. It is a rainfed crop.
• Major Pulse Producing States:
  • Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, UP, and Karnataka.

Primary reasons for domestic shortage of pulses and reduction in per capita availability of Pulses in India are:

A. The increase in area under cultivation, production and productivity of pulses has been
extremely slow.

• The production of pulses grew only by 45% from 1951 to 2008, while wheat production increased by 320% and rice by 230 percent. Therefore, for pulses India has been import dependent since 1981.

B. Low Yield, increased irrigation facilities and Blue Bulls trouble

• The yield of wheat is high (around 3,000 – 4,000 kg per ha) as against 750 Kg/ha of pulses.
  • In countries like France (4219 kg/ha), Canada (2000 kg/ha), USA (1882 kg/ha), China (1596 kg/ha) the per unit yield is much higher than that of India.
  • Lower yield is due to poor crop management, prevailing environmental conditions and better irrigation facilities.
• Hence with improve irrigation facilities farmers in north India (specially Uttar Pradesh) have slowly moved away from pulses.
• Cattles and blue bulls also preferred pulse crops leading to higher damages for pulse farmers.

C. Open ended procurement of wheat and rice under MSP -> Lack of assured price for pulse

D. Very less R&D on pulses globally (due to very less consumption in advanced western countries)

Steps which have been taken to increase pulse production.

A. Measures to incentivize Pulse Production under National Food Security Mission (NFSM), Minimum Support Price Programs and by Increase production.

• For e.g., PM AASHA’s prize support scheme specifically focused on increasing the procurement of pulses on MSP.

B. MoA&FW have also formulated a Special Kharif Strategy which was implemented during Kharif 2021:

• Here, HYVs of seeds available with Central Seed Agencies or in the States were distributed free of cost to increase area under pule production through intercropping and sole crop

C. Crop Diversification Program (a sub scheme of RKVY) is being implemented in original green revolution states viz. Punjab, Haryana, and in Western Uttar Pradesh to diversify paddy areas towards less water requiring crops like oil seeds, pulses, coarse cereals, agro forestry etc.

Way Forward:

• Augmenting domestic production
  • Policy reforms like higher MSP for pulses and inclusion of pulses under the PDS system.
  • Improved Agri-Inputs for Pulses:
    • Increased R&D to focus on developing new HVYs which are adapted to drought, climate change etc.
    • Promoting cultivation of pulses in well irrigated areas and ensuring better irrigation facilities in existing pulse growing areas.
    • Ensure timely availability of chemical fertilizers which has remained a problem for this sector.
      • Similarly, inadequate availability of Gypsum or pyrites as a cheap source of sulphur remains a serious impediment in many states.
    • Prioritizing the crop insurance scheme in pulse growing regions and its proper implementation
  • Promoting Scientific Cultivation: Currently, improper sowing time, low seed rate, defective sowing methods, insufficient irrigation etc. are the major agronomic constraints.
• Focus on solution for blue bulls’ trouble.
  • Biodiversity protection and conservation in forest areas could ensure enough availability of food for blue bulls in the forest areas and reduce their infiltration in cultivated areas.
• Improving technology of Dal Mills -> Reduce wastage.
  • Most of the dal mills have outdated technologies, resulting in excessive loss of pulses in the form of broken or powdered grains.
• Distribution channels also have to be made more efficient.
• Dealing with fluctuation of prices – Increased buffer stocks and diversifying imports.