Pulses in India

Why in news?

• In a bid to cool down the recent hike in pulses prices, the Union government plans to release 40,000 tonnes of tur dal from its buffer stock into the retail market in small lots.

About pulses:

• Pulses are annual leguminous crops yielding between one and 12 grains or seeds of variable size, shape and colour within a pod, used for both food and feed.
• The term “pulses” is limited to crops harvested solely for dry grain, thereby excluding crops harvested green for food, which are classified as vegetable crops, as well as those crops used mainly for oil extraction and leguminous crops that are used exclusively for sowing purposes.
• Besides serving as an important source of protein for a large portion of the global population, pulses contribute to healthy soils and climate change mitigation through their nitrogen-fixing properties.
• Pulses have low carbon and water footprints which make them an integral part of the sustainable farming system.

Major Pulses in India:

• Bengal Gram (Desi Chick Pea / Desi Chana), Pigeon Peas (Arhar / Toor / Red Gram), Green Beans (Moong Beans), Chick Peas (Kabuli Chana), Black Matpe (Urad / Mah / Black Gram), Red Kidney Beans (Rajma), Black Eyed Peas (Lobiya), Lentils (Masoor), White Peas (Matar) are major pulses grown and consumed in India.
• India is the largest producer (25% of global production), consumer (27% of world consumption) and importer (14%) of pulses in the world.

Production in India:

• Pulses account for around 20 per cent of the area under foodgrains and contribute around 7-10 per cent of the total foodgrains production in the country.
• Though pulses are grown in both Kharif and Rabi seasons, Rabi pulses contribute more than 60 per cent of the total production.
• Gram is the most dominant pulse having a share of around 40 per cent in the total production followed by Tur/Arhar at 15 to 20 per cent and Urad/Black Matpe and Moong at around 8-10 per cent each.
• Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka are the top five pulses producing States.

Price Support:

• Government supports pulses production by providing Minimum Support Prices (MSP) and procuring them from the farmers through National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) and more recently through Small Farmers Agri Consortium (SFAC).

PRELIMS QUESTION

Consider the following statements regarding Pulses in India:
1.India is self sufficient in the production of pulses.
2.Procurement of pulses at minimum support price is done primarily through Food Corporation of India.
3.Pulses have low carbon and water footprints during cultivation.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)1 and 2 only
(b)2 and 3 only 
(c)3 only 
(d)1,2 and 3

Answer to prelims question