Pulses Production in India, Challenges and Government Schemes

Context: NITI Aayog has recently released a report titled “Strategies and Pathways for Accelerating Growth in Pulses towards the Goal of Atmanirbharta.”The report outlines India’s roadmap to achieve self-sufficiency in pulses production by addressing productivity gaps, reducing import dependence, and ensuring nutritional security.

Pulses Production in India

Global and National Context

• India is the largest producer, consumer, and cultivator of pulses in the world.
• It contributes 38% of the global area and 28% of the global production of pulses.
• Global productivity (2022): 989 t/ha, while India’s average (2018–22) is 0.740 t/ha, showing a productivity gap.

Seasonal Contribution

• Rabi Pulses: Contribute 67% of production from 53% of area.
  • Chickpea accounts for ~70% of Rabi pulses.
• Kharif Pulses: Cover 47% of the area but contribute only 33% of the production.

State-Wise Production

• Top three states: Together, these three states contribute ~55% of production.
  • Madhya Pradesh – 22.1% of production, 18.7% of area.
  • Maharashtra – 16.5% of production, 15.7% of area.
  • Rajasthan – 16.3% of production, 20.9% of area (largest area).
• Other major states: Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Telangana, Tamil Nadu.
• Highest productivity: Gujarat (1.333 t/ha).
• Lowest productivity: Karnataka (0.623 t/ha).

Challenges in Pulses Production

• Low productivity: National average yield (0.851 t/ha) remains well below global leaders like Canada (1.9 t/ha).
  • Wide state-level yield gaps: Gujarat at 1.33 t/ha vs Karnataka at 0.62 t/ha.
• Technological constraints: Unlike rice and wheat, pulses have not seen widespread success from the Green Revolution. Mechanisation is also limited because most pulses are grown in small and fragmented landholdings.
• Environmental vulnerability: 80% of pulses are rainfed, making them prone to drought, flood, and climate shocks (El Niño, heat waves, unseasonal rains).
• Biotic stresses: Many farmers lack access to affordable pest management solutions, and the problem is aggravated by climate change, which increases pest incidence.
  • Major insect pests like pod borers, aphids, thrips, pod fly, and diseases like wilt, yellow mosaic virus, and sterility mosaic cause significant crop losses.
• Abiotic stresses: Pulses are highly sensitive to extreme conditions such as high temperature, drought, frost, salinity, alkalinity, and waterlogging.
• Cultivation on marginal & degraded lands: Unlike cereals, which are grown on fertile, irrigated lands, pulses are often cultivated on low-fertility soils with limited irrigation facilities.
• Price Volatility and Market Uncertainty: Pulses prices fluctuate widely due to seasonal shortages, import surges, and speculative hoarding. Farmers often face distress sales when prices crash below MSP, as procurement coverage is very limited compared to rice and wheat.
• Low Economic Returns for Farmers: Farmers prefer cereals and commercial crops (rice, wheat, cotton, sugarcane, soybean), which provide higher assured returns due to better procurement and export potential.
• High Cost of Inputs: The cost of fertilisers, pesticides, labour, and irrigation for pulses is high compared to the returns.
• Weak marketing and procurement: Farmers depend on traders due to limited MSP procurement and a lack of local mandis.
• Post-harvest losses: 5–7% due to spillage, poor handling, pest damage, and lack of storage.
• Consumption-production gap: Demand exceeds domestic production, leading to heavy imports (4–5 MT annually).
• Limited crop diversification: Pulses are not fully integrated into major cropping systems.
• Seed system issues: Shortage of quality certified seeds and lack of seed traceability.

Way Forward – Strategies for achieving Self-Sufficiency

• Focus on Area Retention and Diversification: Use rice fallow lands: tapping 1/3rd of fallows across 10 states could add 85 MT pulses annually. Promote intercropping with cereals and oilseeds.
• Improved Seeds and Traceability:
  • Large-scale distribution of quality seeds with treatment kits.
  • Promote seed villages and block-level seed hubs through FPOs.
• Strengthening FPOs and Value Chains
  • Build strong Farmer-Producer Organisations to reduce dependence on middlemen.
  • Promote direct-to-consumer (D2C) models for better prices.
  • Establish local processing units – use by-products (husk, bran) for cattle feed.
• Strengthening Procurement and MSP System: Set up a doorstep procurement centre & improve MSP operations under the PM-AASHA scheme.
• Inclusion in Public Nutrition Schemes: Mandate inclusion of pulses in PDS, Mid-Day Meal Scheme, ICDS, and Poshan Abhiyaan. This will ensure nutrition security and create assured demand.
• Mechanisation and Technology Adoption: Promote multi-crop harvesters and threshers for pulses & Develop machine-harvestable varieties to reduce labour costs.
• Promotion of Summer Pulses: Expand summer cropping with short-duration, early-maturing varieties & Use micro-irrigation for efficient water use.
• Research and Development: Develop climate-resilient and nutrient-rich (biofortified) pulses & Explore biotechnology tools (CRISPR, molecular markers) for faster crop improvement.
• Climate Management and Early Warning Systems:
  • Strengthen weather forecasting, AI-based advisories, and mobile alerts.
  • Promote climate-smart practices (mulching, zero-tillage, drought-tolerant seeds).
• Financial and Policy Support: Subsidies for fertilisers, bio-fertilisers, and quality seeds. Incentivise farmers for ecosystem services (nitrogen fixation worth ₹8811 crore annually).

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