Exploring India's Pulse Production: States, Types, and Varieties

Table of Contents

• What are pulses?
• Types of Pulses grown in India
• Largest Producer of Pulses in India

• • Rajasthan
  • Madhya Pradesh
  • Maharashtra
  • Uttar Pradesh
  • Karnataka

• Government Schemes for Promoting Pulses

Pulses play a vital role in Indian cuisine, used in preparing curries, dumplings, snacks, and even desserts. India is one of the largest producers of protein-rich food grains, including pulses. As per the data collected in the year 2021, India produced more than 23 million metric tons of pulses, making it a significant contributor to global pulse production.

Pulses are not only essential for their culinary value but also for the numerous nutritional benefits that they provide. They are a rich source of protein, fiber, and various essential nutrients required by our body, making them an important part of the Indian diet, particularly for vegetarians.

India is the largest producer of pulses all over the world and hence it is known as the land of pulses. It is responsible for around 27–28% of the total world’s crop production. Various states are involved in the production of pulses all over the country. State governments also support farmers in the production of these gold grains which become a part of the diet in every household irrespective of class.

What are pulses?

Pulses are edible seeds of legume-family plants that are of various shapes, sizes, and colors. These annual crops are responsible for feeding a large chunk of the population in India daily. This crop produces around one to twelve grains per seed, which sets it apart from other vegetable crops that are harvested while still being green.

Types of Pulses Grown in India

• Pigeon peas (toor/arhar dal)
• Green gram (moong dal)
• Whole red lentils (masoor sabut)
• Split red lentils (masoor dal), Bengal Gram (Chana Dal) 
• Black Chickpea (Kala Chana) 
• Red Kidney Beans (Rajma)

Among the pulses, green gram is the most dominant crop, accounting for 40% of the total pulses, and daal comes second contributing to 15-20% of the total production, while urad and moong dal each account for 8-10% of the total production. Pulses are suitable to grow in both Rabi and Kharif seasons, with Rabi crops contributing to 60% of the total production.

Largest Producer of Pulses in the World

Various states are involved in the farming of pulses in India. Here is the list of state-wise pulse production in India from the top 10 states with annual production in tonnes.

Rajasthan:

Rajasthan is the largest pulses-producing state in India. It produced approximately 6340 tonnes of pulses annually. The state is known for growing a variety of pulses, with ‘arhar' being the most produced in the Kharif season, and moong, moth, and gram being the top productions in the Rabi season. This is because of the favorable agroclimatic conditions in the state. Major pulses cultivated during the Rabi season which is from November to March are moong, urad, and gram while Arhar which is also known as pigeon pea, is widely grown in the Kharif season which extends from July to October. Major districts for pulse cultivation in Rajasthan include Jodhpur, Barmer, Jalore, Bikaner, and Jaisalmer.

Madhya Pradesh:

Madhya Pradesh is the second largest producer of pulses in India, with an annual production of 4364.74 tonnes. The state's unique agroclimatic conditions allow for the cultivation of various pulses, with gram, tur, and urad being the top cultivated pulses.

Maharashtra:

Maharashtra ranks third in pulse production in India producing 4,224.84 tons of pulses annually. Most of the state's land is utilized for growing tur pulses, particularly in Amravati, Yavatmal, and Nagpur.

Uttar Pradesh:

Uttar Pradesh is also one of the major states in India known for its considerable pulse production, contributing significantly to the total output. The primary crop area is involved in the cultivation of gram pulse, with other significant pulses including moong, urad, and arhar.

Karnataka:

Karnataka is another important pulses-producing state in India, making it one of the top five states in terms of pulse production. The state contributes to 60% of the growth in pigeon peas and chickpea crops. Karnataka cultivates different pulses, including chickpea, pigeon pea, horse gram, black gram, and green gram, utilizing short and long-duration pulse varieties based on the regions, soil, and climatic conditions.

Government Schemes for Promoting Pulses

The Indian government has set a target to make India self-sufficient in pulses by December 2027 so that it does not need to import it from other countries. This initiative aims to boost domestic pulse production. The government has also implemented various strategies and programs to support pulse farmers, such as the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) and the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). India is a leading producer of pulses globally, contributing to approximately one-fifth of the total acreage dedicated to food grains and about one-fifth of their production within the nation. However, despite all the efforts, the current production level is inadequate to fulfill the entire domestic demand for pulses within the nation, necessitating substantial reliance on importation.

To achieve the desired target of pulse production in India, the government has implemented various schemes

The NFSM-Pulses initiative, by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, is functioning in 28 States and 2 Union Territories, including Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. 

Key undertakings in NFSM-Pulses scheme: 

•  Assisting farmers through States/UTs for various interventions. 
•  Facilitating seed production and distribution of HYVs/hybrids. 
• Conducting cluster demonstrations on improved packages of practices and cropping system demonstrations.
• Introducing improved farm machinery/tools and efficient water application tools. 
• Implementing plant protection measures and nutrient management/soil ameliorants. 
• Promoting processing and post-harvest equipment and providing cropping system-based training. 
• Distributing seed mini-kits of newer pulse varieties. 

Along with these measures, the government has also established 150 Seed Hubs for Pulses to increase the availability of quality pulse seeds.