Challenges and options for meeting the needs of pulses-A review

Abstract

Pulses are important crops for food and nutritional security worldwide. Traditional cropping pattern almost always included a pulse crop either as a mixed crop or in rotation, the commercialization of agriculture has encouraged the practice of solecropping. India produces a quarter of the world's pulses accounting for largest share in the world production, both in quantity and variety. The major pulses grown in India are chickpea, Pigeonpea and Mungbean during 2013-14. Thus the poor production of pulses have not only created an imbalance in the demand and supply, but also resulted in soaring import bills, unpredictable price rise and low profit compared to competing crops. Average annual growth rate of area (4.5 per cent) and production (9.6 per cent) was maximum in chickpea during 2008-09 to 2013-14. Productivity of pulses increased from 441 kg/ha during 1950-51 to 764 kg/ha during 2013-14. There was enormous interstate variation seen in area, production of total pulses. The picture of net per capita per day availability of pulses has fallen drastically from 60 g to 42 g during 1951 to 2013. This shortfall has serious nutritional implications especially to children and women in rural areas. To achieve self sufficiency in pulses, there is a need to increase production up to 26.5 million tons by the year 2050. Research efforts, easy and timely availability of critical inputs and creation of seed village will be helpful in achieving self sufficiency.

One decade of PPV and FRA’s functioning: Crop and institution wise performance and implications

“…Among all type of varieties, rice has been mostly registered under 'Typical' category of applications, whereas maize and cotton were mostly registered under 'Hybrid' and 'Transgenic and Hybrid' categories, respectively. Very high strategic significance has been associated with the pulses especially in terms of their role in nutritional security and sustainable production in India (Martolia and Rana, 2016;Pathak et al, 2017). Pulses had the highest number of registrations in 'Typical' category of Extant Notified type of varieties.…”

Temporal changes in economics of pulses and their comparative advantage in Rajasthan

“…The daily per capita availability of pulses in India has decreased, however, to a meager of 35 g against FAO recommended dose of 80g/day. It is a matter of concern to all of us (Pathak et al 2017). In Rajasthan, area under chickpea is 12.56 lakh ha with the production of 9.11 lakh tons, while the area under moong bean and urd bean is 8.94 lakh ha and 2.02 lakh ha with the production of 4.61 lakh tons and 1.12 lakh tones (Anonymous 2014-15).…”