Presentation by Dr David Bergvinson, Director General, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) at International Trade Centre (ITC) and Indian Pulses and Grains Council (IPGA) on 24 August 2016.

1. The Pulse of Pulses:
Story of Pigeonpea
David Bergvinson, DG, ICRISAT
International Trade Centre (ITC) and Indian Pulses and Grains Council (IPGA)

2. Key reasons for encouraging Trade of Pulses
Innovations
• Improved varieties that integrate production and grain quality traits for
increased productivity and profitability of pulse production
• Mechanization of production and processing to increase profitability and
timely operations
New jobs and economic growth
• Create new jobs in pulse value chains to increase quality of production,
reduce losses and realize value addition in rural communities
Bringing new competitive dynamics into the economic system
• ICT-enabled price discovery and trade to enhance value chain logistics,
reduce transaction costs, enable traceability for quality control, agreed
grades and standards and automated validation to ensure equitable and
markets for producers and value chain actors
Promoting the research-innovation system
• Demand-driven research driven by market- and farmer-requirements
Bringing improved nutrition into modern food systems
• Smart Food campaign is creating awareness among consumers about
nutritional, environmental and economic benefits of pulses within
modern diets to address malnutrition, sustainable agriculture and rural
development

3. Story of Pigeonpea: Innovation to Stabilize Pulses
Volatility in pigeonpea production is not good for farmers who are
out of phase and creates supply problems for processors
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Asia
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Carribean

4. 0
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kg ha-1ha
Area Harvested (ha)
Production (t)
Yield (kg ha-1)
Area Production Yield/Productivity
Source: FAO 2012
Production Scenario of Pigeonpea in India
India area: 3.8 mill. ha
India production: 2.6 mill. t
India productivity: 697 kg ha-1
World area: 4.8 mill. ha
World production: 3.7 mill. t
World productivity: 774 kg ha-
1
India imports ~ 500,000 tons
of pigeonpea per year from
Myanmar and Africa to meet
consumption needs

5. • Test weight
• Colour of Seed
• No. of Seeds/Pod
• Protein Content
Desirable
Traits
• Dal Recovery
(De-husking and
Splitting)
Processing
• Moisture Content
• Clean
• Disease Free
Phyto Sanitary
Requirements
• Fast Cooking time
• Appearance and
Palatability
Consumer
Preferences
Characteristics of Pigeonpea across Product
Development Chain

6. Quality Standards: Pigeonpea Production
Desirable Traits
(Properties of crop considered during selection)
Test weight: 9-11 gms
Colour of Seed: Brown
No. of Seed/Pod: 5-7nos
Protein Content: 18-22%
(Swaminathan and Jain, 1973)
Processing
(Maximum recovery of consumable dal after milling)
Dal Recovery (Easily removable husk): >70%
Low processing loss (during de-husking and Splitting)
(Saxena et al., 2010)

7. Quality Standards: Pigeonpea Supply Chain
Phyto Sanitary Requirements
(Criteria for importing Pigeonpea in India)
Moisture Content: 10%
Damage: <2%
Pathogen and Pest Free
(Govindan, 2010)
Consumer Preferences
(Factors make Pigeonpea appealing to end users)
Less Cooking time (30-40 mins)
Appearance and Palatability: Uniform size and yellow dal
colour
(Francis 1991; Saxena et al., 2010)

8. Country In thousand tons % increase
2001 2014 Production Area Yield
Tanzania 87.1 249.3 186 106 39
Mozambique 31.6 120.9 282 261 6
Malawi 105.8 301.0 184 69 68
Kenya 73.46 274.5 274 68 122
Uganda 80.0 93.6 17 28 -8
E. S. Africa 380.6 1047.3 175 96 40
Growth trends for pigeonpea in Africa

9. Country Area
(ha)
Production (t) Productivity
(kg/ha)
India 5,062,000 3,290,000 650
Myanmar 611,600 575,100 940
Tanzania 276,400 249,250 902
Kenya 276,124 274,523 994
Mozambique 248,000 120,979 486
Malawi 229,790 301,010 1309
Haiti 111,950 90,480 808
Uganda* 101,540 93,645 922
Dominican R 23,088 24,615 1066
Nepal 17,006 16,415 965
Top ten pigeonpea producers in 2014

10. Varietal cafeteria
• A total of 33 varieties released in ESA.
• Kenya -8, Malawi-7, Mozambique-5, Tanzania-7, Uganda-2, Zambia-2,
Sudan-1, Ethiopia- 1
• More than 90% of the varieties derived from breeding program based in
Africa using local germplasm
• A shift in maturity group adopted to ESA agro-ecologies
Maturity group Up to 2008 2009 onwards
Short duration 7 1
Medium duration 3 10
Long duration 7 5
Total 17 16

11. Exports from Africa(000’ t)
Country 5 year range 2016 (expected)
Tanzania 75-90 70
Mozambique 55-75 75
Malawi 60-90 70
Kenya 15-20 18
Uganda 8-14 12
Sudan* 40-50 45
Africa 253-339 290
Source: Jayesh Patel 2016, ETG
* Sudan data estimated
India imports about 570, 000 t annually
50% from Myanmar and 50% from Africa

12. ESA country Total no
of
varieties
released
No of varieties
released from
ICRISAT-bred
materials
% of varieties
released from
ICRISAT-bred
materials
Ethiopia 27 15 (11 desi + 4 kabuli) 56%
Kenya 6 6 (4 desi + 2 kabuli) 100%
Tanzania 4 4 (2 desi + 2 kabuli) 100%
Varietal cafeteria is similar for chickpea

13. Journey to Pulse Profitability – for All

14. Ingredients for Success:
Seed, Systems, Capacity, Policies & Partnerships
Major gaps: ;
• Disconnect between quality seed demand and quality seed available/access
• No premium for quality grain marketed at the producer level
• Lack of market information/market intelligence
• Grades and standards are not well developed based on market needs
• Little/no mechanization in farm operations, harvesting and post-harvest handling
Opportunities:
• Huge scope for seed production and delivery of market-preferred varieties (PPP)
• Introduction of small scale machinery for timely planting of pulses, threshing,
community level processing for value addition (e.g. Dhal)
• Introduction of grades and standards and premium for quality produce based
(digital imagery to provide objective pricing)
• Promotion of Smart Food to expand domestic and regional markets, in addition to
international exports in order to stabilize prices
• Creation of commodity markets and proper storage facilities to redcue losses,
increase quality (and value) and incentivize quality through eMarkets and
warehouse receipts

15. Thank You