Pulses production is estimated to decline by 6 percent to 244.70 lakh tonnes

05-Jun-2024 06:15 PM

New Delhi. In view of the sharp decline in the production of gram, the Union Agriculture Ministry in its third advance estimate has expressed the possibility of the total production of pulses during the 2023-24 season declining to 244.70 lakh tonnes,

which is about 16 lakh tonnes or 6 percent less than the reviewed production of 260.60 lakh tonnes in the 2022-23 season. This government production estimate also seems higher than reality to the industry and trade sector.

In the category of pulses crops, the Ministry of Agriculture has estimated the production of Arhar (Tuvar) to increase from 33.10 lakh tonnes to 33.90 lakh tonnes and the production of lentil from 15.60 lakh tonnes to 17.50 lakh tonnes during the 2023-24 season as compared to 2022-23,

but on the other hand, the production of Urad is expected to decrease from 26.30 lakh tonnes to 23 lakh tonnes, the production of moong is expected to fall from 36.80 lakh tonnes to 29.10 lakh tonnes and the production of other pulses (except gram) is expected to fall from 26.10 lakh tonnes to 25.60 lakh tonnes.

As far as all the major pulses of Rabi season - gram are concerned, the Ministry of Agriculture has expressed the possibility of its domestic production falling to 115.76 lakh tonnes in the season 2023-24, which is 6.15 lakh tonnes less than the second advance estimate of 121.61 lakh tonnes and about 7 lakh tonnes less than the production of 123 lakh tonnes in the 2022-23 season.

The industry-trade sector believes that the production of tur has been less than 30 lakh tonnes and the production of gram has been below 100 lakh tonnes.

Similarly, the production of lentils is also about 2 lakh tonnes more than the estimate of the industry-trade sector. In the domestic sector, the price of tur, urad and gram is running much higher than the minimum support price.

Tuvar and urad are already being imported in large quantities, while now duty-free import of Desi gram and yellow peas has also been allowed till 31 October 2024. Lentil is also being imported duty-free.

According to one commentator, the government seems to have largely ignored the massive damage to the pigeon pea crop last year due to severe drought in both the top producing states - Maharashtra and Karnataka. There was also a decline in the area under gram.