Pulse Notes Lecture II
Mahua Banerjee
Importance of Pulses in India
Pulses in India have long been considered as the poor man’s only source of protein. They are the
principal source of dietary proteins in a vegetarian country like India. The major pulses crops of
the country are red gram or pigeon pea (tur, arhar), chickpea or gram, black gram (urad bean),
green gram (moong bean) and lentil (masur). Minor pulses include rajmash and other beans,
cowpea, horse gram, moth, khesari-dal, etc.
If we consider some of the major sources of proteins, pulses turn out to be one of the most
economical sources of protein for human consumption. Pulses contain 18-25% of protein.
Increasing their production and keeping their prices within the reach of the poor therefore
assumes paramount importance.
Pulses: The richest and the most economical source of protein
Source Protein content Average Avg cost of
(per kg) price(Rs. per kg) protein
consumption
Milk 3.2% 24 75
Poultry Meat 18-20% 100 53
Eggs 14% 60 42
Pulses 18-25% 85 38
While per capita availability of pulses, including imports is close to 43 g/day, WHO recommends
per capita consumption at 80 g/day for India, clearly pointing to a wide gap in pulses availability.
By some estimates, the per capita consumption has lately reduced to as low as 30 g/day due to
high prices which affects the buying ability of the consumer, thus indicating a serious concern.
Pulses crops also help increase soil fertility. Benefits from adopting pulses as a rotational crop
increases the supply of soil nitrogen through nitrogen fixation by approximately 40 kg/ha N. It
also provides agronomic benefits to the succeeding crop in terms of better soil
microenvironment, quality and yield.
Global Overview
India, China, Canada, Brazil and Myanmar are the top five countries accounting for 50% of
global production. The world acreage for pulses was estimated at 72 Mn Ha in 2007. Global
production of pulses in 2007 was 56 mn tonnes. India is the world leader, with 25% share of
world production. The global production of pulses has also remained practically stagnant over
the last decade - primarily due to the flat growth in India’s production. India consumes 30% of
global pulses production. China and Brazil are a distant second in consumption, with 6% share
each.
Canada is the largest exporter of pulses in the world with 26% share, valued at USD 1.2 billion
in 2007. Nearly 27% of Canada’s exports are to India. Other major pulses exporting countries
include China, Myanmar, Australia and the US. The Indian Government has banned exports of
pulses, except for a particular type of chickpeas, to ensure availability in the domestic market.
Average global yield was 819 kg/ha (average of 2005, 2006, 2007) with Canada and the US
having yields of 1900 kg/ha – about three times the Indian average. Subsistence farming in
developing countries versus a market driven approach in developed countries, as well as climatic
conditions and level of mechanization and infrastructure development, have resulted in wide
variation in yields across countries.
There are quite a few factors affecting yield of pulses, viz., Climate / Soil / Timely availability of
inputs / Usage of high yielding variety (HYV) seeds and short duration pulses varieties /
Investment in mechanisation, irrigation, pest management and other crop specific farm practices
/ changes in cropping pattern like double cropping or intercropping / Level of development /
Infrastructure / Efficient supply chain and Market mechanisms.
Indian Scenario
India is the largest producer as well as consumer of pulses (also referred to as grain legumes,
peas & beans) in the world. However, its pulses production has been almost stagnant over the
past 20 years at around 14 million tonnes per annum. While population has grown at 2% CAGR
during 1971-2008, pulses production has grown at a meagre 0.7% CAGR. At the same time, per
capita production of pulses has decreased from 60 g/day in 1970-71 to 36 g/day by 2007-08.
Area under pulses has been around 23 million hectares, giving an average yield of 616 kg per
hectares, which is quite low. Amongst the prime reasons for low productivity of pulses are;
Pulses are mainly being grown on marginal and sub-marginal lands under rainfed conditions
with low input usage.
Less than 15% of area under pulses is irrigated, exposing its production to weather-related
yield risks.
Despite a mission-mode approach to pulses development by the Department of Agriculture &
Cooperation, Government of India, a desired level of thrust to pulses production has been
conspicuous by its absence. Overall, the production of pulses has grown only 45% (cumulative)
between 1951 and 2008, compared to that of wheat and rice, which have grown manifold (at
320% and 230%, respectively) during the same period.
Efforts are being made to bridge the gap between demand and supply through imports of pulses
from different countries, depending upon their availability. The country’s increasing demand for
pulses due to rise in population has resulted in increase in net imports from about 4.6 lakh tonnes
in 1998-99 to 35 lakh tonnes in 2009-10 – valued at Rs 9,813 crore in fiscal 2009-10.
Also, due to limited sources for different kinds of pulses, domestic prices fluctuate according to
availability and prices in the international market. Apprehensions of shortages, lead to market
uncertainty and high inflation.
Thus, the resultant shortage in availability of pulses and the spurt in prices demands special
focus.
Reasons for Low Production in India
India Pulses Production: While population has grown at 2% CAGR, pulses production has
grown at a meagre 0.7% CAGR from FY 1971-2018.
• Pulses in India are considered a residual crop and grown under rain-fed conditions in marginal/
less fertile lands, with very little focus on pest and nutrient management.
• Pulses were not the beneficiary of the Green Revolution and the post-Green revolution era has
also witnessed most of Government thrust on wheat and rice.
• There has been no technology breakthrough in any of the pulses crops.
Farmers perceive pulses as having a lower cost benefit ratio vis-à-vis other crops like wheat and
rice.
• Penetration and adoption of high yielding varieties (HYV) seeds are also low.
• Only 15% of the pulses crop receives any irrigation - as against an average 46% for all
foodgrains combined (90% for wheat and 56% for rice).
• Heavy weed infestation, blue bull and pod borers cause substantial damage to standing crops.
Over 30% of standing crops are destroyed by pests before harvest. In addition, there are
post-harvest losses during storage, due to excessive moisture and attack by stored grain pests
especially the pulse beetle.
• Seed replacement rate in India is very low, estimated at 2-7% compared to the recommended
25-30%. Timely availability of genuine certified quality seeds is another critical issue.
Deviation from timely agronomic practices / application of inputs results in sub-optimal
yields.
• Absence of assured off-take has also been an issue for pulses cultivation.
Individually and collectively, these factors have resulted in pulses being considered as risky
crops, with yield levels amongst the lowest in the world. CII, therefore, undertook to examine the
challenge of high pulses prices by looking at the relevant issues more closely for an affirmative
action to ensure that pulses are available to all at affordable prices and the farmers get
remunerative returns on their investments.
Key Government Initiatives
• To fulfill objectives of production and productivity, a Directorate of Pulses Development has
been functioning, (now located at Bhopal), with a vision of attaining self reliance in pulses
for household nutritional security and sustainability of the production system.
• Pulses were brought under the ambit of the Technology Mission of the Ministry’s Department
of Agriculture & Co-operation in August 1990
• The National Food Security Mission, launched in 2008, aims at increasing the production of
pulses by 2 million tonnes by 2011
• The Government has roped in International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics
(ICRISAT) along with various Agriculture Universities to work with farmers in order to use
rice fallows for pulses cultivation
• National Commission on Farmers was formed under Mr MS Swaminathan, but its core
recommendations are yet to be implemented
• Integrated scheme of Oilseeds, Pulses, Oil Palm and Maize (ISOPOM) was launched in 14
major pulses growing states
• Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna was launched under which states can undertake Pulses
Development Programmes.
Also, there are programmes like Accelerated Pulses Production Programme and Pulses and
Oilseeds villages.
Despite, the launch of number of special mission/ programmes / schemes, production and
productivity in pulses has not been optimized, as a result of which, India has remained a net
importer of pulses and this failure has been a serious cause of concern.
Other recommendations
Capacity and Capability Building through PPP:
The agriculture value chain involves multiple players demanding collaborative strength from
various public and private players. A more formal strategic alliance is proposed between the
State Governments and private players (with or without equity participation) so that research
expertise and reach of various public institutes can meet the private rigour in extension
services, marketing and management. The objective is to create a significant advantage,
combining the resources and expertise of both the sides in order to augment pulses
production in India.
The alliance will choose the working area keeping in mind the twin objectives of ‘Increase in
pulses acreages’ and ‘Increase in yield’. The partnership can be across the entire value
chain, i.e.,
In introduction of High Yielding Varieties of seeds with a back-stop resource level of
quality seed production.
In extension of package of practices with appropriate training in inputs.
In arranging assured linkages for buy back of produce.
Contract farming of pulses, etc.
In making funds available to farmers for strengthening their resource and infrastructural base,
which will make the change sustainable.
Crop & Region Specific Approach: To intensify / increase area and production of pulses crops,
we need crop-specific and region-specific approaches, which should be adopted in the
overall framework of systems approach. The Indian Council of Agriculture Research has
notified 74 varieties of pulses during the last three years. Why has the cultivation of these
varieties not picked up, needs to be looked into. The need is to develop high yielding
varieties of pulses suitable to meet geographical and climatic requirements of major pulses
growing areas of the country for intensive cultivation.
b.1. Crop-situation thrust: Since the pulses canvas is rather wide, there is need to disaggregate
the thrust areas and develop programmes / action plans with focus on specific crops / groups of
crops, inter-crops and catch crops, having an entirely different agronomic scenario as compared
to pure crops. Likewise, rabi crops have the advantage of adequate soil moisture in assured
rainfall areas or availability of life-saving irrigation elsewhere. Each of the following five areas
need defined objectives and unique programmes.
Kharif Crops (moong, urad, tur) Rabi crops (gram, lentils, peas)
*Pure crop, *Inter-crop, *Catch *Pure crops, * New Niches
(double) crop
Increasing total acreage under pulses: Suitable areas in North-East, close to Myanmar,
suitable for pulses need to be brought under the intensive cultivation of pulses for
higher production and productivity. Other suggestions are;
Using the rice fallow lands for cultivation of pulses.
Exploring bringing barren lands in hilly areas of North India under pulses.
Promoting intercropping to increase area under pulses
Inclusion of short duration varieties of pulses as catch crop.
Rainfed Area Authority (RAA) should primarily focus on the production of pulses in deficit
rain areas with specific strategies to maximize the use of water available.
R&D for Improving Yields for Pulses: Yield improvements can be done by developing and
introducing new varieties of seeds, having traits like high yield / hybrid / treated / resistant
to drought and disease-pest complexes. Water use efficiency / management, integrated /
efficient crop nutrition, etc., are also a must to ensure better yields of pulses. Also,
developing high nitrogen fixing varieties with nutrient use efficiency will be beneficial, as
they will play a crucial role in sustainable agriculture. This can be achieved through gene
pyramiding for which a critical mass of manpower in science and technology is necessary.
(d) Educate, Enthuse and Empower the Farmer: There is an urgent need to address the
current barriers to pulses cultivation by facilitating creation of engagement platforms to
demonstrate the benefits of pulses cultivation to farmers. Pulses have long been perceived
by farmers as less remunerative crops and this mindset needs to be changed by sensitising
farmers towards the following benefits offered by pulses cultivation;
Pulses can be a profitable venture, with use of modern technology
Pulses increase soil fertility by nitrogen fixation and provide agronomic benefits to
succeeding crops by improving crop quality and improving yields
Needs very less water as compared to other water intensive crops
This can be done by demonstrating higher farm productivity on a reasonable large chunk of farm
clusters in contiguous fields and through training, field visits, on-ground work, etc., to help
them perceive the benefits of modern pulses cultivation practices.
(e) Selling on Spot Exchanges: Innovative marketing strategies need to be put in place to ensure
that farmers are able to get remunerative prices for their produce. Since the consumption,
wholesale price index, consumer price index, price inflation, etc., are linked to spot prices, one of
the solutions can be the sale of pulses on spot exchanges. Transparency and quick transaction
will save time and cost, and will also ensure reduction in cost of intermediation containing price
inflation to some extent. This will also provide definite market data on prices and indexes.
Besides, this will also ensure additional profit margin to
the farmers for sale of their produce. Linking MSP to market prices can also help to bridge the
gap between demand and supply.
(f) Harmonizing Trade Policies: A long-term strategy for production or for timely out-sourcing
and distribution of pulses needs to be worked out to meet the deficit in the demand and
supply of pulses in the country. In case of pulses, the Government organisations, like the
State Trading Corporation (STC), Minerals and Metals Trading Corporation (MMTC) and
PEC Ltd., are allowed to import pulses and distribute it in the open market, with subsidy up
to 15%. The prices are kept low, which actually disincentivises the farmers in undertaking
pulses production. The industry is dependent on release of stocks, which is available to only
few players, resulting in disparity and high volatility in availability and prices.
The stock limits imposed by different states at different times create distortions in supply,
resulting in volatility in prices and encourages unscrupulous practices in unorganised
trade. Hence, it is suggested that the stock limits need not be imposed.
(g) Reviving the Dal Milling Industry: Most of the dal mills have out dated technology, which
result in excessive losses of pulses in the form of broken and powdered grains. This industry
is also besieged with other problems such as low domestic availability of pulses, high
working capital requirement and presence of large number of intermediaries in pulses
procurement and marketing of finished products. There is a case for consideration of the
Government for incentivising these dal mills for optimising output in a cost effective and
rewarding environment. Besides, the present losses, being encountered by the milling
industry, can be minimized to a great extent by the use of improved dal mills. There is also a
case for providing value addition at the farm gate through small dal mills and allied
accessories.
(h) Campaign to Create Awareness of the Pulses Shortage and its Implications: Raising the
issue of pulses shortage in important forums by reaching out to corporate and public spheres. The
idea is to infuse a sense of urgency and to create a right regulatory environment by getting all the
stakeholders to
understand the urgency of the issue. Theme-based conferences / workshops / debates, etc., will
also help encourage dialogue in this area.
(i) Exploring Opportunities in Other Countries: Some Indian companies have already
acquired land in foreign countries for agriculture. According to statistics provided by
Governments of various countries in East Africa, more than 80 Indian companies have
invested about £1.5 billion (about Rs 11,300 crore) in buying huge plantations in countries,
such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Senegal and Mozambique that will be used to grow
foodgrain for the domestic market. The focus can be on cultivation of pulses on those lands
to meet domestic consumption in the country. Options like contract farming in other
countries can also be explored for this purpose.
(j) Business Development of Pulses: Pulses are an important part of the Indian diet and an
innovative approach can be cultivation of new taste in the consumers by blending, etc. This
will make the product attractive to the consumers as well as help in meeting the nutritional
security needs of the Indian population.