Production of pulses expected to increase due to excellent sowing and favorable weather
27-Jul-2024 03:04 PM
New Delhi. The major pulse producing states of the country are receiving good rains during the southwest monsoon, which is giving farmers an opportunity to increase the area under tur and moong. Sowing of urad is almost normal.
The market price of these three major pulses is running at a very high level and its minimum support price (MSP) has also been increased substantially.
Official data shows that the production area of pulses during Kharif season has jumped from 89.41 lakh hectares last year to 102.03 lakh hectares this time, while the sowing process is still going on. As per the period till 26th July, compared to last year,
this time the production area of Arhar (Tuvar) has jumped from 28.73 lakh hectares to 38.53 lakh hectares and the sowing area of moong has increased from 27.01 lakh hectares to 30.37 lakh hectares.
The area of Moth is almost stable at 7.15 lakh hectares but there has been some decline in the area of Kulthi. Similarly, the production area of Urad was increasing earlier but now it has come down from 23.86 lakh hectares last year to 23.12 lakh hectares this time.
Farmers in top producing states like Maharashtra and Karnataka are showing great interest in the cultivation of Tuvar this time because there is good monsoon rain there.
This time tremendous enthusiasm and attraction is being seen among the farmers towards sowing moong in many states.
It is known that among the major pulses, moong is the only product whose import is banned, while other pulses - tur (tuvar), urad, gram (desi), masoor and yellow peas are being imported duty free without any hindrance.
To increase domestic production and ensure high returns to farmers, the government has increased the minimum support price of pulse crops substantially. Under this,
the support price of tuvar has been increased by 7.9 percent to Rs. 7550 per quintal, the MSP of urad has been increased by 6.5 percent to Rs. 7400 per quintal and the minimum support price of moong has been increased by 1.4 percent to Rs. 8682 per quintal. The market price of tuvar and urad is running much higher than the support price.