The area under pulses is unlikely to increase in the near future, according to an industry official.
Unless the government incentivises farmers to grow pulses, acreage will remain the same in India, said Mr Anurag Tulshan, Cordinator – Eastern & North Eastern Region, India Pulses and Grains Association.
The area under pulses has been stagnant for quite some time now.
Refusing to comment on whether the current rally in chana futures is justifiable, he said that speculation may also be there as chickpea production has declined this year. (Although harvesting has not been completed yet, initial estimates indicate a considerable drop.)
However, the Government should not ban futures trading in chana. It should rather regulate the market more vigilantly. “In fact, we are of the opinion that tur and urad futures, too, must be reintroduced, as futures trading is an early warning mechanism,” Mr Tulshan said.
With over 25 per cent of global production, India is a dominant player in the global pulses market. It produces 16-17 million tonnes of pulses a year. On the other hand, it consumes around 21 million tonnes a year with the shortfall is being met through imports.
If the Government allows import of pulses for export (after value-addition, India can become even more dominant. Besides, this will also encourage the milling sector here, said Mr Sudhakar Tomar, Honarary convenor, International Pulse Trade and Industry Confederation.