‘India heading for near self-sufficiency in pulses’

The output of pulses this year would cross 22 million tonnes (mt), for a second time in a row, taking India closer to achieving self-sufficiency in the production of the protein-rich food crop, Union Agriculture Secretary SK Pattanayak said on Friday.

“When pulses production last year jumped to 22.6 mt from around 17-18 mt, where it had stagnated for a few years, many thought it could be a one-off thing. But, the fact that this year too pulses production would cross 22 mt shows that this is sustainable,” Pattanayak told BusinessLine .

“This actually means that we are close to attaining self-sufficiency in pulses production, which is a significant feat for agriculture in India,” he said.

When the pulses output went down drastically in 2015-16, it threw up a big challenge. As tur prices shot up to ₹180/kg, many in the government felt that something needs to be done to increase the production, the official said.

“We broke our heads over this and suggested a slew of measures such as creating seed hubs for distributing quality seeds, preparing seed kits and have field demonstrations for farmers, apart from incentivising the farmers. It is this combination of factors, apart from a good monsoon, that helped farmers increase the yield,” Pattanayak said.

The domestic demand for pulses is around 24 mt. Interestingly, this unexpected spurt in pulses production last year tied the government in knots. Its decision to import 6.6 mt of pulses — to save itself from irate consumers who suffered unprecedented increase in prices — backfired with the prices of domestic pulses subsequently arrived in mandis crashing to rock-bottom leading to farmer protests in many States in the country, including Madhya Pradesh, where six farmers died in police firing.

The government, which is still struggling to clear its stock of imported pulses, on Thursday allowed exports of pulses from the country, anticipating a bumper production this year.

However, Pattanayak said repeating the same feat in field of oilseeds, a segment in which two-thirds of the demand is met through imports, was a tall order as there was no major technology breakthrough that would help develop new high-yielding varieties. Moreover, there is a constraint relating to land availability too. “In most States, farmers grow pulses and oilseeds on same type of land, which is largely unirrigated. So, when pulses production rises, oilseeds output comes down,” he said.

But, the government was making a small beginning by going for new palm plantations in wasteland areas in Andhra Pradesh and in some States in the North-East, he said.

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