Global meet urges India to augment production of pulses to meet nutritional requirements

The Global Pulses Conference in New Delhi suggests India increase pulse production to meet nutritional requirements, with measures taken by the government to improve cultivation.

The Global Pulses Conference, an annual meeting of pulses producers, processors and traders, suggested that India augment production of pulses to meet the nutritional requirements. Union Ministers Arjun Munda and Piyush Goyal said the Centre had taken adequate measures to improve pulses cultivation in the country by increasing the minimum support price (MSP) regularly. The two-day conference is jointly organised by the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED) and the Global Pulse Confederation (GPC). 

Mr. Goyal said that over the last decade pulses production had grown by 60% from 171 lakh tonnes in 2014 to 270 lakh tonnes in 2024.

“The partnership between NAFED and the GPC will continue to grow to make pulses not only India’s wonder diet but to make the wonder diet of the world,” he said. On MSP, Mr. Goyal said the Centre had assured a price of 50% over the actual cost of production to farmers, thereby providing an attractive return on investment. “The MSP is the highest today with increases as high as 117% in masoor, 90% in moong, 75% more in chana dal, 60% more in toor and urad over the amount provided a decade ago,” Mr. Goyal said. 

Mr. Munda said India had become self-reliant in chickpeas (chana) and many other pulses crops, with only a slight deficiency remaining in pigeon peas (tur) and black gram. “Consistent efforts are being made to attain self-sufficiency in pulses by 2027. The government has increased the supply of new varieties of seeds, while also focusing on expanding cultivation of tur and black gram,” he said. 

GPC president Vijay Iyengar told The Hindu that India would benefit from the global conference with sharing of the best practices and technological advancements in the field from other countries. “It’s a crop that benefits the soil. It is nutritious and benefits the small holding farmers. If India takes efforts to improve cultivation, all the stakeholders will get the benefits. The Government in India is on the right track. They understand the Indian market really well,” Mr. Iyengar said, adding that the convention is for sharing knowledge and best practices globally. “We have come here after 18 years. This will benefit both Indian and global stakeholders in this sector,” he said.