Annual pulse production growth rate in Andhra Pradesh is negative

18-Sep-2025 08:57 PM

Vijayawada. Andhra Pradesh, an important agricultural producing state in South India, has been experiencing a declining trend in pulse production for the past two decades. According to the latest NITI Aayog report, the annual growth rate of pulse production in the state was 3.3 percent from the 1950s to the 2004-05 season,

but since then, it has declined and now stands at a negative 1.97 percent. It is noteworthy that until 2013-14, Telangana was also a part of Andhra Pradesh, where pulses are cultivated extensively.

During the past two decades, the area under pulse cultivation in Andhra Pradesh has undergone significant changes and has shown a continuous declining trend. According to the NITI Aayog report, pulses are now cultivated on approximately 1.2 million hectares in Andhra Pradesh, including sowing in both Kharif and Rabi seasons.

Its annual pulse production averages around 1.03 million tons, making it the seventh largest pulse producer in the country. Andhra Pradesh is the only major pulse-producing state to experience a negative growth rate since 2004-05.

On the other hand, other major pulse-producing states have experienced significant growth. For example, pulse production in Rajasthan has increased by 8.05 percent since 2004-05. Similarly, Maharashtra recorded a 4.61 percent growth rate and Madhya Pradesh 4.27 percent growth, both higher than the national average of 4.2 percent.

Furthermore, Karnataka's pulse production growth rate increased from 2.08 percent to 2.88 percent. In Gujarat also the growth rate improved from 3.15 percent to 3.48 percent and in Uttar Pradesh it increased from (-) 0.34 percent to 1.22 percent.