Lentil Production India

• 15 Jan 2024

For Prelims: About Lentil, Lentil Growing Region, National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED), Small Farmers Agri Consortium (SFAC), National Food Security Mission (NFSM)-Pulses, ICAR's Role in Research and Variety Development, Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) Scheme.

For Mains: Status of Lentil Production in India, Status of Pulse Production in India, Government Initiatives for Pulse Production In India

Source: IE

Why in News?

As per the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, India is set to become the world’s largest producer of lentils (masoor) during the 2023-24 crop year on account of higher acreage.

• The country's lentil production is estimated to touch an all-time high of 1.6 million tonnes in the 2023-24 rabi season on higher acreage.
• According to official data, in the 2022-23 crop year, the country’s lentil production stood at 1.56 million tonnes.

What are Lentils?

• About:
  • Lentil is a bushy annual herbaceous plant of the legume family.
  • These are edible legumes, known for their lens-shaped, flat disced seed.
  • Lentil plants are typically short, and bear self-pollinated flowers.
  • Lentil grains are excellent sources of energy, carbohydrates, protein, fat, fibers, phosphorus, iron, zinc, carotene, vitamins, and antioxidants.
• Climatic Condition:
  • Lentil is primarily grown as a rainfed crop.
  • It requires cold temperature during its vegetative growth and warm temperature at the time of maturity.
  • Lentil is grown during rabi season.
• Soil Types:
  • Lentils can grow on various soil types, from sand to clay loam, growing best in deep sandy loam soils with moderate fertility.
  • A soil pH around 7 would be the best. Lentils do not tolerate flooding or water-logged conditions.
• Lentil Growing Region:
  • It is mainly cultivated in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.
    • The Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh is considered as lentil bowl which contributes nearly 25% to the total lentil production in the country.
  • According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the world top lentil growers in 2022 were Canada, India, Australia, Turkey, and Russia.
    • Despite being the second largest producer of lentil, India has so far been relying on imports to meet its domestic requirements, buying mainly from Australia, Canada, Russia, Singapore, and Turkey.

What is the Status of Pulse Production in India?

• India is the largest producer (25% of global production), consumer (27% of world consumption) and importer (14%) of pulses in the world.
• Pulses account for around 20% of the area under foodgrains and contribute around 7-10% of the total foodgrains production in the country.
• Gram is the most dominant pulse having a share of around 40 % in the total production followed by Tur/Arhar at 15 to 20 % and Urad/Black Matpe and Moong at around 8-10 % each.
• Though pulses are grown in both Kharif and Rabi seasons, Rabi pulses contribute more than 60% of the total production.
• Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka are the top five pulses-producing states.

What are Government Initiatives to Boost Pulses Production in India?

• Policy Support: The policy prescription for ensuring reasonable prices to the farmers largely centres around procuring the pulses by providing Minimum Support Prices (MSP) to the farmers through National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) and more recently through Small Farmers Agri Consortium (SFAC).
• National Food Security Mission (NFSM)-Pulses.
• ICAR's Role in Research and Variety Development
• Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) Scheme

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ)

Prelims

Q. With reference to pulse production in India, consider the following statements: (2020)

1. Black gram can be cultivated as both kharif and rabi crop.
2. Green-gram alone accounts for nearly half of pulse production.
3. In the last three decades, while the production of kharif pulses has increased, the production of rabi pulses has decreased.

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

Ans: A

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Mains:

Q.Mention the advantages of the cultivation of pulses because of which the year 2016 was declared as the International Year of Pulses by United Nations. (2017)