In the Kharif season due to one month late arrival of monsoon and later scarcity of rains in the Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka the late sowing and dry conditions affected the pulses crops and production to a very large extend.
The overall production of Tuar pulse have gone down by 9 to 10 per cent in the country and its prices in market shot up by 10 to 15 per cent. Pulses are grown in all the states but the major states and at the top is the Maharashtra followed by Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. In these three major states the productions have gone down by 40 per cent. The prices of Tuar pulse which were at 30-32 thousand per tonnes is now selling at 45 to 50 thousand per tonnes. The Government of India and private parties have started importing it from Myanmar and East African countries from Kolkatta, Chennai and Mumbai sea ports. The production at Myanmar is also short by 50 per cent and India is importing it mostly from East African nations.
So far we are exporting wheat but now India has become the world the biggest exporter of rice also. The pulses are essential part of India fooding system and its shortages are imbalancing it. The Madhya Pradesh has achieved big success in the production of wheat, rice and soyabean. Quality wise the wheat of Madhya Pradesh is preferred by the other importing countries. The quality of Tuar pulse of Bhind, Morena districts and its entire Chambal region is also considered of best quality.
The Chief Minister Mr.Shivraj Singh Chouhan must chalk out ambitious plan to make the Chambal river region the Tuar pulse producing area. The Centre should provide technical, mechanical and financial help to Madhya Pradesh to reclaim Chambal ravines for pulses productions. Lakhs of hectare of land is lying wested as a hide-out of dacoits. We are facing chronic shortage of pulse and problem of Chambal ravines.
It can help a lot in meeting our requirement of pulses and oilseeds also. Besides pulses we are very short in our requirement of edible oil. Our public distribution system is wholly dependent on palm oil import from Malaysia. This year our ‘Tuar’ pulse production will be around 24 lakh tonnes and we are importing 4 to 5 lakhs tonnes of pulse this year. The Chambal ravines are extremely fertile lands and no amount is too high to reclaim it. It will give tremendous boost to agriculture.
Founder : Late Shri Ramgopal Maheshwari
