Pulses\nproduction in India is failing miserably despite so called emphasis given by\nthe Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India through various schemes, Plan after\nPlan. It\u2019s a pity that India in spite of having unique opportunities to double\nthe Lentil, Green gram and Black gram production in Rice Fallows particularly\nin the inland coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka,\nOdisha, West Bengal, and other upland ecosystem in Eastern and North-eastern\nStates besides improving yields in other pulses, the Country is resorted to\nimport Pulses heavily on regular basis!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The\nunfortunate part, 78% of the total 38.0 lakh hectare area under Pigeon pea known\nas hardy crop where yield levels varies from 476 kg to 728 kg \/ha only. This is\nhappening despite several premier Research Institutions like IARI, IIPR of\nICAR, State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) with mandate of Pigeon pea\nresearch besides ICRISAT, an International Centre with excellence and having\nhybrid Pigeon pea released and notified for general cultivation failed to\ncreate visible impact so far. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is not\nthat India lacks improved, climate resilient varieties and hybrids in Pigeon\npea. It\u2019s a policy failures in seed system supposed to produce quality\ncertified seeds of improved varieties and hybrids and supply to farmers\nprimarily by the National Level Agencies (NLAs) dealing with seeds and\nreceiving grants directly from the Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India. In\nreality, seed system in India is hijacked by ‘Seed Mafia’ and Country\u2019s seed\nrequirements are largely met by procuring spurious seeds through Tenders. So,\nhow do we expect mitigating shortages in Pulses by improving productivity?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What\nexactly needed is timely supply of quality seed of improved varieties \/ hybrids\nat a reasonable cost; procurement from farmers at a remunerative price, proper\nstorage and finally creating buffer stock on the event of bumper production,\nthereby avoiding distress sale to mitigate chronic shortages. Ministry of\nAgriculture need to come out from traditional approach of running Mission after\nMission and waste funds but provide support services, particularly critical\ninputs to pulse-growing farmers who can do wonder and make India self-reliant\nin Pulses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fact\nremains, farmers do not have the access to genetically pure seeds of recommend,\nimproved varieties. It is an open secret, farmers are being supplied with\nspurious seeds, mostly purchased from open Mandis <\/em>and\nlabelled as ‘Certified’ which are freely being procured through Tenders by the\nNLAs and supplied the under Govt. Schemes! When this is happening with the full\nknowledge of Ministry of Agriculture and Govt. of India is happy to import\nPulses than encouraging their own farmers, who can ensure getting Dal in every\nplate of 1.3 billion people, essential to keep nation healthy!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Question\nremains, who will prepare the blue print for intensifying pulses production\nboth in traditional\/non-traditional areas taking advent of multiple seasons\nnamely Pre-Rabi, Rabi, Kharif, Summer, Spring by fitting various pulses in the\nexisting cropping systems\/sequences; expanding areas to new niches at least for\nnext 3-4 years reasonably adequate to achieve self-sufficiency in Pules and\nmake India free from the clutches of import? (Where imports are not because of\ncompulsion but backed by ill intentions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It\u2019s a pity that India in spite of having unique opportunities to double the Lentil, Green gram and Black gram production in Rice Fallows particularly in the inland coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Odisha, West Bengal, and other upland ecosystem in Eastern and North-eastern States besides improving yields in other pulses, the Country is resorted to import Pulses heavily on regular basis!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":65725,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,3],"tags":[231,230],"class_list":["post-65724","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-agriculture","category-indian-economy","tag-pulses-import-of-india","tag-pulses-production-in-india"],"yoast_head":"\n