An Update On Pulse Production In India

From Sask Pulse Growers Newsletter

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Key Points:

• Seeding progress: Acreage is 14.3% lower than it was a year ago. In the current kharif (summer) season, pulse acreage has remained lower due to deficient monsoon, and is at 22 million acres as compared to 25 million acres last crop year.

• Imports: India may import higher quantities of pulses, as seeded areaunder these crops has declined this season due to a lack of rainfall. In the last three years, India has imported an average of 2.5–3.5 million tonnes of pulses annually, mainly from Myanmar, Australia, and Canada.

Seeding progress

As of early November 2012, the Indian Government reported that cumulative area in the rabi season was at 10 million acres, trailing behind the 2011 level by 14.3 %. Nearly 4.8 million acres had been sown under pulses by this date.The Indian Ministry of Agriculture has advised the key pulse growing regions to go in for early sowings, in order to offset a sharp dip in pulse and coarse cereal acreage in the kharif season.

Imports

Given the sporadic monsoon this year, there have been large swings in pulse acreage. In Madhya Pradesh, one of the major growing areas, soybean has taken over as one of the main crops being grown. Further, the initial drought conditions have led to a drop in overall crop growing.Given the overall deficient status of pulses, imports will be much larger.At current prices, the demand is still high and people are still able to pay premiums, yet demand continues to outstrip supply.

Source : Saskpulse