One big reason for the recent spurt in prices of pulses is the virtually stagnant production not matched by a steady rise
in consumption.
Figure this, in 1993-94 i.e. around 15 years ago, India?s pulses production was around 13.30 million tonne and the crop was sown in almost 23 million hectares of land (both kharif and rabi including).
Since, then total pulses production has climbed to 14.66 million tonne, a rise of just 10.22%, while the acreage has remained stagnant at around 24 million hectares.
In other words, both the area and the per hectare yield under pulses has remained almost stable, barring few deviations, while the population has grown at an compound annual growth rate of around 1.8% in the last two decades.
In 1993-94, average per hectare yield of all pulses was around 598 kilograms, which rose by a mere 40 kilograms to around 638 kilograms by 2007-08. The more striking fact is that the percentage coverage of pulses under irrigation during this period which remained at just around 12% -13%, far below the percentage coverage for other crops, further impacting the yield as the crop is largely grown in rainfed areas.
So what ails pulses production in the country, despite the fact that India is one of the largest producer and consumer of this vital legume.
If experts are to be believed pulses suffer from myriad problem ranging from poor soil fertility, susceptibility to pests to non availability of good quality certified.
?Pulses are mostly grown in rainfed areas, where soil fertility depends upon monsoon rains, with irrigation being poor in pulses growing regions, a slight deviation in rains causes big drop in output,? said RP Singh, director-incharge of the Bhopal-based Directorate of Pulses Development.
He added susceptibility to pests is another reason why per hectare pulses yield has remained stagnant in the country. But, apart from these, many experts also feel that over-emphasis on production of wheat and rice by successive government has left out this vital part of India?s agriculture.
?Pulses being leguminous crops help in nitrogen-fixation in the soil, so in many areas farmers tend to shift to the more remunerative foodgrains as soon as the soil is enriched, abandoning pulses cultivation,? Singh added.
No, wonder that at a time when India?s foodgrain production is reaching record level, pulses output has virtually stagnated. The resultant mismatch in demand and supply has made the country one of the biggest pulses importer in the world, susceptible to price changes abroad.
In 2005-06, India imported around 1.65 million tonne of pulses, which climbed up to 2.79 million tonne in 2007-08 and was estimated to be around 3.0 million tonne in 2008-09. But, going forward is the situation likely to change, not by much.
Because, according to a recent government assessment, India?s pulses production is expected to rise from around 14.86 million in 2009-10 to around 15.73 million tonne in 2011-2012, an increase of almost 6%.
But, at the same time, demand for this vital commodity is projected to increase by around 9%.
?The biggest problem with pulses in this country is that in the last ten years we have not been able to make any big genetical breakthrough which could propel the per hectare yield, which would helped in bridging the demand-supply gap,? another senior official said.
Hopefully, the multiple government policies directed towards
increasing production will give extra emphasis on developing
new varieties.
Tomorrow: the way ahead