Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Pulses: Cultivation pattern, Export dynamics, Consumption etc.
Mains level: NA
Why in the news?
- India’s pulses imports in fiscal 2024 witnessed a remarkable surge, soaring by 84% year-on-year to their highest level in six years.
- Lower production levels prompted India to permit duty-free imports of red lentils (Masoor) and yellow peas (Tur/Arhar), further driving the increase in imports.
Pulses Cultivation in India
| Details | |
| Seasons | Cultivated in both ‘Kharif’ and ‘Rabi’ seasons. ‘Rabi’ pulses contribute more than 60% of production.
Kharif Season Pulses:
Rabi Season Pulses:
|
| Production (2023) | Approximately 27.5 million metric tonnes
Reported as 7.6 quintals per hectare |
| Area under Cultivation | Pulses account for around 20% of the area under food grains in India. |
| Top Producing States | Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka |
| Government Initiatives | National Food Security Mission (NFSM) for Pulses, Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) Scheme |
| Research and Development | Conducted by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in collaboration with State Agricultural Universities |
| Goal | Aim for self-sufficiency in pulse production by 2027 |
Pulses Import: Figures and Value
- India imported a total of 4.65 million metric tons of pulses in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024, marking the highest volume since fiscal 2018.
- In terms of value, imports surged by 93% to reach $3.75 billion in the same period.
Pulses Production in India: Key Facts
|
Global Impact of Higher Imports
- The surge in imports by India, the world’s largest importer, producer, and consumer of protein-rich pulses, has been bolstering global prices.
- It has also contributed to reducing stocks in exporting countries such as Canada, Australia, and Myanmar.
Significance of Pulses Consumption
- Nutritional Value:
- Pulses are considered to be ‘poor man’s protein’.
- They contain 20-25% of protein by weight, with twice the protein available in wheat and thrice that present in rice.
- WHO recommends 80gm/day of Pulses in the diet.
- Environmental Sustainability:
- Pulses have low carbon and water footprints, making them integral to sustainable farming.
- Water footprints for producing one kilogram of meat are five times higher than that of pulses.
- Pulses emit 0.5 kilogram in CO2 equivalent per kilogram, while meat produces 9.5 kilograms in CO2 equivalent.
PYQ:[2019] Among the agricultural commodities imported by India, which one of the following accounts for the highest imports in terms of value in the last five years ? (a) Spices (b) Fresh fruits (c) Pulses (d) Vegetable oils [2020] With reference to pulse production in India, consider the following statements:
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 2 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 |
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