Centre identifies 2 mn hectares for mega pulses boost

The Centre is working on an ambitious plan to grow pulses on two million hectares of unused, fertile land across the country, two people aware of the matter said, as falling production and rising imports drive up prices.

- Dhirendra Kumar

Farmers will be encouraged to grow tur (arhar), urad and masur varieties that are imported in large quantities from countries such as Mozambique, Myanmar, Canada and Australia, the people cited above said on the condition of anonymity. The scheme involves the ministries of consumer affairs and agriculture, and the department of land resources.

The two million hectares where pulses will be cultivated is part of a total of four million hectares of watershed land identified for farming. Watershed land is where rainwater collects and flows into a river, stream, or lake. This land has enough moisture contents useful for growing pulses.

Rising prices of pulses is a major contributor to food inflation as production continues to decline even as consumption rises. Federal think tank Niti Aayog has projected that India's demand for pulses will grow from 26.72 million tonnes (mt) in FY22 to 32.64 mt by FY30. The country has been relying on imports to meet the shortfall. By expanding domestic cultivation, the government aims to stabilize prices, meet increasing demand and reduce its import bill.