How India’s Pulse Revolution Will Touch Your Daily Meal!

Embarking on a fresh initiative, India is now focused on achieving self-sufficiency in pulses. To take a step closer to this goal, the government has recently launched a new portal for the benefit of farmers. This initiative aims to reduce pulse imports and transform India into a net exporter.

In this article, let’s delve into the current state of pulse cultivation in India and explore how the government plans to achieve self-sufficiency.

Current State of Pulse Production in India

Recent estimates place pulse production at 27-28 million tonnes, with imports reaching 2.5 million tonnes in 2022-23. Notably, there is a considerable shortfall in varieties such as arhar (pigeon pea), leading to price surges and increased imports. Black gram and lentils are also imported.

In an effort to counter inflationary pressures and boost domestic availability, the government has allowed duty-free imports of pigeon peas, black gram, and lentils until March 2025. Currently, farmers show reluctance to cultivate pulses, opting instead for rice and wheat, procured by the government at minimum support prices (MSPs) for inclusion in the food security scheme.

Additionally, the average yield of pigeon peas in India in 2022 was 860 kg per hectare, a figure comparable to the 850 kg per hectare average recorded in 1961.

Government’s Approach Towards Achieving Self-Sufficiency

By 2027, the government envisions making India a net exporter of pulses. To move in this direction, a new portal has been launched, allowing farmers cultivating pulses to register and directly sell their produce to central government agencies at the MSP or the market price, whichever is higher. This move streamlines registration, purchase, and direct payment processes for farmers, aiming to encourage increased pulse cultivation and reduce imports.

For perspective, imports currently make up 10% of domestic pulse consumption, and India holds the position of being the largest global consumer and producer of pulses. This initiative comes at a time when India’s tur production is anticipated to reach 3.4 million tonnes in 2023-24, lower than the peak output of 4.8 million tonnes in 2016-17 due to reduced acreage.

Additional Measures for Boosting Production

According to Niti Aayog’s estimate, the demand for pulses is expected to surge to 33 million tonnes by 2029-2030. To meet this escalating demand, a critical step is to enhance productivity.

One approach to achieving this goal is to supply these protein-rich pulses under the food security scheme, benefiting over 80 crore Indians. This dual objective would provide farmers with a guaranteed market while improving nutritional outcomes for consumers.

Contrarily, global seed companies exhibit less inclination towards pulses, necessitating India to take the lead and invest more in public research on pulses to develop higher-yielding variants.

That’s it for today. We hope you’ve found this article informative. Remember to spread the word among your friends. Until we meet again, stay curious!

*The article is for information purposes only. This is not an investment advice.

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