pulse cultivation

The Department of Consumer Affairs, under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, has launched an important initiative to promote pulse cultivation in India, especially to address surging imports and growing domestic demand.

Key Highlights and Government Initiatives:

1. Launch of Pulse Cultivation Campaign:

   • The campaign's aim is to boost domestic production of pulses, especially arhar (tur) and urad, which are in high demand both for consumption and import substitution.

   • Targeted Implementation: The National Cooperative Consumer’s Federation of India Ltd. (NCCF) will oversee the campaign. After a successful pilot in Jharkhand, the initiative will be expanded to 12 districts across seven states:

     • Jharkhand: Palamu, Latehar, Garhwa

     • Uttar Pradesh: Mirzapur, Lalitpur

     • Bihar: Gaya, Jehanabad

     • Karnataka: Vijaypura

     • Other States: Manipur and Tripura (districts not specified)

   • District Selection Criteria: The focus will be on rainfed areas and Aspirational Blocks as identified by NITI Aayog to maximize agricultural impact in underdeveloped regions.

2. Financial and Procurement Support:

   • The government has allocated ₹1 crore for seed distribution as part of the initiative.

   • A 100% procurement guarantee has been offered at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) if the market price falls below the prescribed level.

   • MSP for the Kharif Season 2025-26:

     • Arhar (Tur): ₹8,000/quintal

     • Urad: ₹7,800/quintal

Pulse Production and Trade Trends:

1. Overview:

   • Pulses, particularly arhar (tur) and urad, are vital sources of protein in India’s predominantly carbohydrate-rich diet.

   • India is the largest producer of pulses globally, contributing significantly to world pulse production.

2. Domestic Production Trends:

   • India's pulse production has grown from 163.23 lakh tonnes in 2015–16 to 244.93 lakh tonnes in 2023–24.

   • Major pulse-producing states include:

     • Madhya Pradesh (MP)

     • Maharashtra

     • Rajasthan

     • Uttar Pradesh (UP)

     • Karnataka

     • Tamil Nadu

     • Kerala

     • West Bengal

3. Import-Export Data:

   • India's dependence on pulse imports has grown significantly, as seen in the following import-export trends:

     • 2021-22: Imports = 26.99 lakh tonnes, Exports = 3.87 lakh tonnes

     • 2022-23: Imports = 24.96 lakh tonnes, Exports = 7.62 lakh tonnes

     • 2023-24: Imports = 47.38 lakh tonnes ($5 billion), Exports = 5.94 lakh tonnes ($686.9 million)

   • Notably, imports doubled in 2023–24, underlining the rising dependency on foreign sources.

4. Import and Export Destinations:

   • Major Import Countries: Canada, Australia, Myanmar, Mozambique, Tanzania

   • Key Export Destinations: Bangladesh, China, UAE, USA, Sri Lanka

Policy Support for Pulse Cultivation:

1. Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA):

   • Under the Price Support Scheme (PSS), the government procures pulses at MSP.

   • Procurement Limit Removal: During 2023–24 and 2024–25, the government lifted the 25% procurement limit for pulses like Tur, Masoor, and Urad, ensuring better procurement and market stability.

2. National Food Security Mission (NFSM):

   • Aimed at enhancing foodgrain production, including pulses, across 28 states and 2 Union Territories (J&K and Ladakh).

3. Crop Diversification Programme (CDP):

   • Aimed at shifting from water-intensive crops like paddy to pulses and oilseeds in states like Haryana, Punjab, and Western Uttar Pradesh, helping ensure better resource allocation and resilience.

4. Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY):

   • Provides states with flexibility to address regional agricultural needs, including specific initiatives for pulse promotion.

Impact and Objectives of the Programme:

• Reducing Import Dependence: The surge in pulse imports, particularly from Canada, Myanmar, and Australia, has been a growing concern for India's food security and self-sufficiency. By promoting domestic pulse cultivation, the government hopes to significantly reduce import reliance.

• Enhancing Food Security: Pulses are a vital source of protein, and improving domestic production can contribute to better nutrition security for the population, especially for vulnerable groups.

• Strengthening Rural Livelihoods: The focus on rainfed and aspirational areas will not only help in boosting production but also create economic opportunities in rural and underdeveloped regions, thereby supporting the rural economy.

• Improving Market Stability: The MSP guarantee ensures that farmers are not exposed to significant price fluctuations, which often result in their financial instability, especially when market prices fall below production costs.

Pulses Production in India:

India, historically the largest producer of pulses globally, has been grappling with a decline in pulse production in recent years. According to the Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, production dropped significantly in the 2023-24 crop year, from 260 lakh tonnes in 2022-23 to about 234 lakh tonnes in 2023-24, reflecting a decline of around 10% compared to the previous year. This reduction in production follows a drop from 273 lakh tonnes in 2021-22, pointing to a continuous downward trend.

Decline in Cultivation of Major Pulses:

• Moong (green gram) saw a sharp drop of over 40% in acreage and a 60% decline in output.

• Urad (black gram) also witnessed a 20% fall in both acreage and output, largely attributed to deficit rainfall in major producing states.

• Chana and tur saw smaller declines in acreage (2.6% and 0.6%, respectively), but their output remained nearly constant compared to previous years.

Price Disparities:

The rise in pulse prices has not been uniform:

• Tur prices saw a steep rise of 30-40%.

• Moong and Urad had a relatively smaller rise of 10-14% over the same period.

This uneven price surge has implications for affordability, with poorer households being hit hardest by the increased cost of protein-rich pulses.

Impact on Protein Accessibility:

The increasing price of pulses has a direct impact on the poor, as pulses are a crucial source of protein in a predominantly carbohydrate-heavy diet. A steep rise in their prices further exacerbates the challenges faced by low-income households.

Persistent Lag in Meeting Demand:

Despite the rise in domestic pulse production over the last decade (from 171 lakh tonnes in 2014-15 to 234 lakh tonnes in 2023-24), India still lags behind demand. This discrepancy in supply and demand is a chronic issue, resulting in increased imports to meet the deficit.

Rising Reliance on Imports:

India's dependence on pulse imports has grown significantly, especially in the face of declining domestic production. The data from the Commerce Ministry reveals a sharp 60% increase in pulse imports in 2023-24:

• Imports: 32.5 lakh tonnes (up from 20.3 lakh tonnes in the previous year)
  This highlights the growing challenge for India to balance domestic supply and external sourcing.

Challenges in Pulse Imports:

1. Limited Short-Term Import Options:

   • India is both the largest producer and consumer of pulses, making it difficult to quickly augment supplies from other countries in the short term.

2. Traditional Import Sources:

   • Myanmar has been a major source of tur, moong, and urad pulses.

   • For peas, the primary suppliers have been Canada and Australia.

3. Emerging Import Sources:

   • Countries like Tanzania, Mozambique, Malawi, and Kenya have recently become emerging suppliers.

4. Price Fluctuations in Exporting Countries:

   • The shortages in India can result in higher prices in the exporting countries, which impacts the cost competitiveness of imports.

Per Capita Availability of Pulses:

The per capita availability of pulses has steadily declined, from 25 kg in 1961 to 16 kg in 2021. This sharp drop highlights the long-term structural issues in the pulses sector, including:

• Sluggish growth in production since the 1960s,

• A shift in cropping patterns,

• Low irrigation levels in pulse-growing areas.

Shifting Cropping Patterns:

• Irrigated Areas: There has been a notable shift from cereal-pulse cropping to cereal-cereal cropping, especially in irrigated areas. This shift has been particularly visible in states like Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, where water-intensive crops like wheat and rice dominate, and the area under pulse cultivation has been shrinking.

Irrigation Disparity:

• Irrigation coverage:

  • Sugarcane: 96% irrigated

  • Wheat: 95% irrigated

  • Rice: 65% irrigated

  • Pulses: Only 23% irrigated

This low irrigation coverage in pulse-growing regions is a major reason for lower yields and lower output.

Conclusion:

The government’s targeted program to promote pulse cultivation is a strategic step towards ensuring food security, reducing import dependency, and improving rural livelihoods in India. With financial support, procurement guarantees, and policy initiatives, this program has the potential to bolster domestic production of pulses, helping to meet the increasing demand while safeguarding farmers' interests. This is a timely move to address the growing challenge posed by rising pulse imports and to enhance India’s agricultural self-sufficiency.