Dr. Banarsi Lal
Pulses are the important crops as they contain a variety of nutrients and are ideal and affordable source of proteins for large sections of the population. India is self-sufficient in food grain production and over the years pulses and oilseeds production have also increased but still there is need to increase their production. Pulses production is a source of income and proteins for the various sections of society. The pulses production has increased from 163.20 lakh tones in 2015-16 to 275.04 lakh tones in 2022-23 and oilseeds from 252.50 lakh tones to 409.97 lakh tones during the same period. Import of pulses has declined from 58 lakh tones in 2025-16 to 24.96 lakh tones in 2022-23. India still needs to increase the pulses and oilseeds production to mitigate the domestic demand of burgeoning population. In order to increase the income of the farmers the pulses and oilseeds production play the significant role. More farmers need to be convinced for the commercial cultivation of these two important crops. Oilseeds and pulses continue to flummox the policymakers, farmers and consumers. India is self-sufficient in food grain production despite burgeoning population and various climatic stresses. But the country is still needs to increase the pulses and oilseeds production. The gap between demand and supply often leads to skyrocketing of prices in domestic market in pulses and oils which is a cause of major concern for general public and the government alike. The government has developed the new strategies for achieving self-sufficiency in pulses and oilseeds.
Protein malnutrition in India can be eradicated by regular and adequate supply of pulses to the poor people. There is need an effective strategy to increase production, productivity, area and processing techniques for oilseeds and pulses to mitigate the demand of increasing population. The Indian Council of agricultural Research (ICAR) has made the strenuous efforts to increase the production of oilseeds and pulses by involving its research and extension mechanism across the country. Government of India has also supported ‘International Year of Pulses – 2016’ a call given by United Nations by organizing various activities and events among the farmers with the objective to promote pulses cultivation across the country.
India is the largest producer and consumer of pulses in the world. In India pulses are grown in an area of around 28 million hectares of land with productivity of about 885 kg/hectare which is less than the global average. In order to mitigate the projected demand of pulses, productivity must be enhanced to a level of 1200 kg per hectare and additional area need to be brought under pulses across the nation. More efforts are needed to drastically reduce the post harvest losses of pulses. There are various bottlenecks to achieve the target of pulses production. Around 92 per cent of the area under pulses is rainfed where pulses cultivation mostly depends on monsoon rains.
Drought and heat stress conditions may reduce pulses crop yields up to 50 per cent, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. Pod borers, aphids, cutworms, white fly, powdery mildew, blights, wilts are the major insect- pests and diseases affecting many pulses. Generally, pulses are treated as secondary crops. Availability of quality seed of improved varieties is one of the major inputs in increasing productivity of pulses. The government has launched many new initiatives and strengthened various programmes to increase the production of pulses across the nation. Government of India is operating a National Food Security Mission (NFSM) to maintain sustainable food security in the country which provides support to pulses, cereals, millets and selected commercial crops. Previously the NFSM was operative only in limited states but now the present government has extended its benefits to all the states and districts across the country. This will benefit north-eastern states and hilly states/UT like Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttrakhand. These states/UT have huge potential for cultivation of pulses. The support provided by NFSM is helpful to boost pulses production in these areas and across the country.
Edible oils occupy a unique place in Indian society, culture, dietary patterns and economy of the nation. According to ‘VISION – 2015 document of ICAR – Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research, Hyderabad, India is one of the largest vegetables oil economies in the world next to USA, China, Brazil and Argentina. Due to diverse agro-climatic conditions and geographical locations in India, farmers are able to grow the entire nine annual oilseeds viz. groundnut, mustard, soybean, sunflower, sesame, safflower, niger, castor and linseed. Among these, castor and linseed oils are chiefly used for industrial and other applications. In India, oilseeds are the second most important crop after cereals sharing 14 per cent of the country’s gross cropped area and account for nearly 3 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Value wise, oilseeds constitutes nearly 6 per cent of the value of all agricultural products. India grows oilseeds on an area of nearly 27 million hectares. Demand of vegetables oils is increasing steadily because of the lifestyle changes in dietary pattern and increasing per capita income.
Interestingly, India is also largest cultivator of oilseeds in the world. Like pulses, oilseeds also face challenges in terms of climatic stresses and unfavourable farming conditions. Nearly 70 per cent of the oilseeds area falls under rainfed farming where climatic vagaries cause severe damage to crops. Studies have indicated emergence of biotic threats which have the potential to disrupt the production patterns and regional crop preferences in a significant manner.
Number of schemes have been launched for the welfare of farmers by increasing profitability of agriculture through innovative policy initiatives. These schemes are also helping pulses and oilseeds farmers to increase their income level by increasing the production and productivity. ‘Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana’ promises security of income to farmers despite natural vagaries at a very nominal premium. ‘Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayi Yojana’ is continuously expanding irrigation facilities to the rural areas and also helping increase irrigation efficiency by introduction of micro-irrigation techniques. The nation-wide soil health card scheme is also helping the farmers to increase land fertility and productivity. All these schemes, initiatives, programmes and activities are helpful for the farmers to increase the pulses and oilseeds production.
(The writer is Sr. Scientist & Head of KVK, Reasi, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology-Jammu, SKUAST-J).