Boosting Production of Pulses

Context: India has been facing a problem of persistent shortage in pulses production which is about to worsen with the significant fall in output during the 2023-24 crop year.

As a result, inflation in pulses has gained momentum. The persistent deficit in domestic production and the consequent rise in prices are making pulses unaffordable for the poor.

About Pulses in India

• India is the world’s largest producer of pulses with 23 million tonnes from an acreage of 30 million hectares. 
• The country accounts for 35% of global area and 27% of global production. 
• Pulses are commonly grown under rainfed condition all over India (77% rainfed) during two principal seasons of the year, namely, kharif rainy season.

Production of Pulses

• Top Pulses: Top six pulses grown in India are chickpeas (chana), pigeon pea (Arhar/tur dal), urad beans (urad dal), mung beans (moong), lentils (masoor) and peas.
• Top States: Production of pulses has largely shifted from northern India to central and southern parts. More than 90% of total pulses production is realised in 10 states namely, MP, Rajasthan, UP, Karnataka, AP, Gujarat, Jharkhand, CG and Telangana.

Challenges With Respect to Pulses

• Shifting Cropping Pattern: There has been a significant shift in cropping pattern from cereal-pulse to cereal-cereal, particularly in irrigated areas across the country. This sluggish growth in production since the 1960s has reduced the per-capita availability of pulses from about 25 kg (1961) to 16 kg (2021).
• Rainfed Agricultural Practices: The extent of area irrigated for sugarcane, wheat and rice stood at 96%, 95% and 65%, respectively, while that of pulses is only about 23%. As a result, the yields and output of pulses have remained low.
• Post-Harvest Losses: Pulses are vulnerable to post harvest loss which has been estimated to be about 20%-30% of traditional dal mills resulting in low dal recovery etc.
• Demand-Supply Mismatch: As highlighted in Household Consumer Expenditure Survey (HCES) data for 2022-23, rising incomes and fall in poverty combined with greater health consciousness, the demand for pulses has run ahead of production.
• Net Importer: The domestic production of pulses, despite a significant increase during the past decade (from 171 lakh tonnes in 2014-15 to 234 lakh tonnes in 2023-24) continues to lag demand. As a result, India has remained dependent on pulses imports (averaging 25 lakh tonnes per annum during the last five years) to meet domestic consumption demand. Therefore, India accounts for 25% import of pulses across the world. 
• Limited Import Sources: The scope for augmenting supplies of pulses through imports in the short-term is limited as India is the largest producer as well as consumer of pulses in the world. Prices in pulses exporting countries are influenced by the shortages in India and hence imports may become much costlier than the domestically produced pulses.
• Low Value Addition: Despite India being the largest pulse producer globally, value addition is low. Currently, only 20% of pulses undergo processing, compared to the global average of 80%.

Government Initiatives

• National Food Security Mission (NFSM)- Pulses: Aims to Increase Pulses production by 3 Million tonnes
• Increase in MSP
• Price Support Scheme (PSS) under PM-AASHA
• Creation of Buffer Stock of Pulses by NAFED.
• Price Stabilisation Fund Scheme to check volatility in the prices.

Way Forward

Pulses are an indispensable part of the Indian food basket both among the rich and the poor alike. While a number of steps have been taken by the government to augment open market supplies in the short-term with imports and limitations on stock-holding, it is imperative to raise production in the long-run.

• Changing Cropping Pattern:
  • Bridge the yield gap between Pulses and other cereal crops to incentivise farmers to take up pulses production.
  • Diversification: Replacement of less remunerative crops with pulses.
  • Promotion of inter-cropping.
  • Utilisation of potential areas of rice-fallow lands: About 30-40% of the area currently left fallow after paddy harvest can be converted into productive farmlands; Additional 3 Mha of pulses and 1 Mha of oilseeds can be brought under cultivation through "Targeting Rice Fallow areas" sub-scheme under RKVY.
• Increasing Productivity:
  • Bringing down duration of pulse crops through technological interventions: There is an urgent need to expand pulses production through development and cultivation of high-yielding varieties disease-resistant varieties through genomic technologies is pivotal.
  • Redesign of NFSM-Pulses: Two categories of districts for coverage under NFSM for pulses - NFSM Pulses for general districts and NFSM Pulses+ for districts where yield levels are lower than state/national averages.
  • Investing in bio-fortification programmes, like HarvestPlus’ iron-enriched lentil varieties, will address nutritional deficiencies, notably of iron which affects 53% of Indian women (NFHS-5, 2019-21).
• Increasing Farmers’ Income:
  • In addition, it is essential to enhance post-harvest management and direct market linkages to ensure remunerative prices for farmers.
  • Promoting Value Addition: The sector needs to invest in modern processing facilities and foster new product innovation. From pulse flours and protein concentrates to ready-to-eat meals and snacks, catering to diverse consumer segments creates exciting avenues for growth. Strategic branding can elevate pulses from staple commodities to premium health foods, both domestically and internationally. 
  • Additionally, climate-resilient agronomic practices such as drip irrigation, which reduces water use by 40-50% and increases yields by 20-30% (World Bank, 2022), are essential for mitigating risks and optimising resource utilisation. 
• Promoting Awareness:
  • Cultivation of pulses can promote sustainable agriculture by enriching soil fertility and conserving water, with minimal irrigation and short crop duration. Towards this, the agricultural extension system needs to create awareness among the farmers regarding the positive externalities of pulses cultivation.
  • A Pulses Board can play a crucial role in promoting the crop through consumer awareness campaigns and market linkages, working along with NAFED and NCCF.

Conclusion

• By embracing a holistic demand-driven strategy that addresses both production and market-side challenges, India’s pulses sector can overcome its hurdles and grow. Doing this will help India augment domestic production to reduce dependence on imports and achieve atmanirbhar or self-sufficiency in pulses by 2027.