This document summarizes findings from a presentation on India's pulses production given at an IFPRI conference in 2016. It finds that while India is the world's largest producer and consumer of pulses, its domestic production has not kept up with rising demand, leading to a growing reliance on imports. Analysis of production data from 1980-2015 shows that overall pulses area, yield and production have grown, but area expansion contributed more to growth than yield increases. More recently, expansion of irrigation infrastructure, especially for Rabi pulses like gram, has been a key factor supporting higher production. The conclusion calls for policies to strengthen technology development, irrigation, price incentives and market access to help India sustain its pulses production growth.

1. Charles, C.N., Kishore, M.S., B.K. Naik
UAS- Dharwad
Can India sustain its pulses growth trajectory?
Harnessing successes and reshaping the future
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Presentation at the IFPRI conference on ‘Pulses for sustainable agriculture
and human health’, May 31-June 1, 2016

2. Layout of presentation
 Introduction
 Data and analytical approaches
 Findings
 Conclusion and implications
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3. Introduction and motivation
 India is largest producer (18.2mn tons) and consumer
(>22mn tons)
 Target production of 23.4mn tons by 2020 to 27.5 mn
tons by 2025
 Target yield of 900kg/ha by 2020 to 1000kg/ha by
2025
 Target area of 26mn ha by 2020 to 27.5 mn ha by
2025
 Examined the dynamics in supply, demand, area,
production & yield at national level
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4. Data and analytical approaches
 Secondary data, 1949-50 to 2014-15
 Area, production, productivity, yield, availability, imports etc
 Indian agricultural statistics, Directorate of Economics and
Statistics, Department of Agriculture and Cooperation and
published research papers.
 National level analysis
 Growth rate analysis
 Descriptive statistics
 Modified agricultural supply response function
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5. Findings
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6. Production (supply) and imports of all pulses by India
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1980-81 1990-91 2000-01 2010-11 2014-15
Total
Production
(mn ton)
10.63 14.26 11.08 18.24 17.38
Imports
(mn ton) 0.17 1.27 0.35 2.70 4.55
Imports as
% of
Production
1.63 8.93 3.16 14.80 26.17

7. Projected gap between domestic demand and supply of
pulses in India
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8. Net per capita availability of pulses in India
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9. Dynamic growth in area, production and yield of all pulses in
India
1980-2015 1980-90 1990-00 2000-15
Growth in
area (CAGR,
%)
-0.10 -0.60 1.31 0.12*
Growth in
yield
(CAGR, %)
1.59* 1.27* 2.43* 1.04*
Growth in
production
(CAGR, %)
1.49* 0.66 3.48 1.10*
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10. Trend in pulses production and area under irrigation in India
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11. Trends in production of major pulses in India
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12. Growth in area, yield and production of gram in India
1980-2013 1980-90 1990-00 2000-13
Growth in
area (%)
0.55* -1.42 1.32 4.08*
Growth in
yield (%)
1.15* 0.64 1.69* 2.07*
Growth in
production
(%)a
1.71* -0.84 2.92 5.30*
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13. Estimates of pulses acreage response
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14. Estimates of gram production response
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15. CONCLUSION AND POLICY IMPLICATION
 Can India sustain its pulses growth trajectory?
 Area, yield and coverage (%) under irrigation significant drivers
 Area has contributed more than yield
 In recent years, irrigation seem to be another key factor (Rabi),
 Probably due to climatic changes
 Policy to strengthen technology generation and dissemination,
irrigation system, price incentives and market access
 If farmers cannot sell what they produce, they may not continue to
produce it
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16. Thank you!!!!!!!!
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