Center to utilize high productivity in northeast to increase the output of pulses

Copyright © HT Digital Streams Limit all rights reserved. Center plans to utilize high productivity in northeastern states to increase the pulses of the pulses, facilitate the food inflation. Pulse imports have increased, although the cultivation area has increased, and domestic yields vary. Summary The Indian government is starting a program to increase wrist production in the northeast, which currently contributes less than 2% of the country’s total area. The initiative aims to lower prices and improve food security amid rising imports and inflation. New -Delhi: The government turns to the northeast to help correct a shortage of the production of pulses and thus to pause food inflation. The center plans to launch a dedicated program to utilize the high productivity potential of pulses grown in the northeastern region of India and expand the arable area as it seeks to facilitate food inflation, two people said. The Department of Consumer Affairs will soon have consultations with the state governments of Tripura, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Manipur and Assam to identify land to cultivate pulses and set up a five-year road map. Details of the additional land to be grown and the expected production levels are expected after the meeting. “The region was specifically chosen, as the average productivity of these states is higher than the national average. These states were traditionally also dependent on wrist supplies of other parts of the country, which, together with supply restrictions and high transport costs, increased retail prices,” one person said. “In the first years, farmers will be encouraged to follow the best agricultural practices to increase production, and in the later years the plan is to expand the cover using vomit land.” Read also | Center identifies 2 million hectares for mega pulses a boost. The move will be significant for the food security of India as the import of pulses increases, although the cultivation area has increased and domestic yields vary. Pulse, both Khariff and Rabi, was grown in FY25 at 27.6 million hectares (HR), which barely changed from 27.5 mh a year earlier. Tur (Arhar) alone accounted for 4.33 mh in FY25 compared to 4.13 mH in FY24. However, the yield dropped from 902 kg per hectare in FY23 to 881 kg/ha in FY24, before it rose slightly to 914 kg/ha in FY25. Production potential The ICAR Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute in Meghalaya noted in a report that the average productivity of pulses in the northeast was 1.049 kg/ha. This reflects the potential to scale up production in the region, which still faces an 82% deficit in compliance with its wrist requirements. Despite favorable agricultural climatic conditions, the northeastern region carries less than 2% of India’s total area under wrist cultivation, according to the data of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, there is 250,000 to 300,000 hectares. Assam accounts for nearly 100,000 hectares, followed by Manipur with 40,000 hectares, Tripura with 30,000 hectares, and Meghalaya with 25,000 hectares. The other state nightmare, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim deck according to the data 80,000-100,000 hectares. The most important pulses grown in the northeast include lentils (masur), black grams (urad), green grams (moon) and field pea, mostly cultivated as Rabi crops to the Pagie crop. However, productivity remains inconsistent with the limited use of improved varieties, minimal input support and the dependence on rain farming. Read also | In maps: Why a good pulsion output this year is an urgent need “We will provide technical assistance and better types of seeds to improve the production of pulses in the northeastern region. It has been noted that the higher prices of this essential commodity in the region contribute to the overall inflation figures. “We are planning a strategy to significantly increase the production of pulses over the next five years. This initiative will be part of the mission for Aatmanirbharta (confidence) in Pulse.” Comparative prices According to data from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs on May 29, Chana Dal in the northeast was sold at £ 93.28 per kg compared to £ 84.81 per kg in northern India, £ 85 in the western region, £ 88.41 in the south, and £ 83.60 in the eastern zone. Tur Dal in the northeast was a price of £ 137.04 per kg, far above £ 119.37 in the south, £ 120.88 in the west, £ 124.07 in the east, and £ 126.09 in the north. Moon Dal prices sold at £ 118.25 per kg in the northeast, significantly higher than £ 109.69 in three zones and £ 114.66 in the south. Masoor Dal was sold in the region at £ 92.84 per kg, compared to an average of £ 87.42 in the rest of the country. In her FY26 budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the launch of the six-year mission for AATMANirbharta in Pulse, with a special focus on Tur (Pigeonpea), Urad (Black Gram) and Masoor (Red Lentil). The government has assigned £ 1,000 crore to the scheme, which aims to provide a minimum of the support price (MSP) base of farmers and post-harvest pack house solutions for the three key crops. India’s production of Pulse was 26.06 million tonnes in FY23 and dropped to 24.2 million tonnes in FY24 due to adverse weather and other challenges. Although production is estimated to recover in FY25 to 25.2 million tonnes, it is a significant optimism amid ongoing efforts to increase production, but this recovery will not be sufficient to meet domestic demand, causing a sharp increase in imports. According to the government’s data, imports of pulses rose from about 2.5 million tonnes into FY23 to 4.74 million tonnes in FY24, and further to an estimated 6.7 million tonnes in FY25-a nine-year high-powered by a favorable duty structure and relatively benign domestic prices. Retail inflation of food inflation alleviated 3.16% in April to nearly six years, mainly due to subdued prices of vegetables, fruits, pulses and other protein -rich items. Inflation based on the consumer price index was 3.34% and 4.83% in April 2024. That was 3.15% in July 2019. Also read | Premier Modi stands northeast as the new growth car of India at the National Statistics Office’s investor council data, showed a sharp drop of 91 basis points in food inflation in April from the level in March. Food inflation was 1.78% in April, the lowest since October 2021, compared to 2.69% in the previous month and 8.7% a year ago, the data showed. “The goal is approved to lower prices. It is a fact that higher prices of essential merchandise in the northeastern parts contribute to overall inflation. Increasing production will also help improve farmers’ income,” says Binod Anand, a member of the Government’s MSP committee, which guarantees the acquisition of a farmer’s products at a fixed price. Inquiries sent to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs by e -mail remained unanswered until press time. Catch all the business news, market news, news reports and latest news updates on Live Mint. Download the Mint News app to get daily market updates. 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