SAARC nations begin work to boost pulses prod next month

The Indian Institute of Pulses Research (IIPR) and the SAARC nations of Nepal and Bhutan will start sowing the first crop of pulses next month in accordance with their agreement last month to work on a joint project to boost production of pulses in the region.     

IIPR had entered into an agreement with the agriculture institutes of Nepal and Bhutan on July 21 to work together on a project to increase the production of pulses in this region through a joint cooperation so as to address the shortage of pulses in these countries.     

"The three districts of Kanpur, Ludhiana and Raipur have been identified to begin the project on a trial basis. Similarly, three districts each in Nepal and Bhutan too have been selected for the purpose," IIPR Director Masood Ahmed told PTI today.     

He further informed that Bangladesh too had to join India, Nepal and Bhutan in this first step, but it is not able to do so as it still hasn't signed the agreement.