Production of pulses this year is likely to touch a record 18.45 million tonnes (mt), thanks to timely and even coverage of the monsoon across the country.

This is against 18 mt last year, with rabi crops making up with a 12.05 mt production after kharif output was affected by deficient rainfall.

“This year, the area under pulses is higher and weather conditions have also been conducive. This will result in record production,” said Pravin Dongre, Chairman, Indian Pulses and Grains Association.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the total area under pulses this year has increased to 93.25 lakh hectares against the normal 86.18 lakh hectares at this time of the year. Last year, 74.48 lakh hectares had been covered during the corresponding period.

The association, in its outlook for kharif pulses, said that Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, which are crucial for the crop output, have received excess rainfall this year.

According to the India Meteorological Department, the country has received 13 per cent excess rainfall this year. Of the 623 districts, 440 have received excess to normal rain.

Dongre said that normally, 100-110 lakh hectares are covered under kharif pulses. “Going by the communication that we have received from various parts of the country, we could be exceeding the normal acreage. A final picture should be available by next week,” he said.

A hike in the minimum support prices for pulses is also a factor for the rise in acreage of crops. For example, the support price for tur has been raised to Rs 4,350 a quintal from Rs 3,850 last year. In the last two years, the support prices have been raised by over 30 per cent for all pulses.

If the weather holds good over the next couple of weeks, kharif pulses production could be between 6.5 mt on the lower side and 7 mt on the higher side against 5.9 mt last year, according to the association.

Asked about fears of damage to urad crop in some parts of the country, Dongre said such an assumption is being made due to damage to soyabean crop in Madhya Pradesh. “We are yet to get any authentic report on damage to crops,” he said.

To a question on the tur crop in Maharashtra, where too heavy rainfall has affected crops in the Vidarbha region, he said that the crop was shaping up “satisfactorily”.

The higher production could also result in lower imports of pulses. A unique feature of Indian pulses scenario is that it is the highest producer, consumer and importer in the world.

“Imports could drop to 3 mt this year, not only because of higher production but also due to over 25 per cent drop in the rupee’s value since the beginning of this year,” Dongre said.

Initially, the pulses industry had expected imports to rise to 3.4 mt. During 2012-13 fiscal, 3.2 mt of pulses were imported with yellow peas making up 50 per cent.

“Unless prices drop in some origins, it is unlikely that imports will be higher than 3 mt. The rupee’s fall contributes to 10-15 per cent inflation in pulses,” he said.

Prices could be stable this year with demand picking up during the festival season, he said.

>subramani.mancombu@thehindu.co.in

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