Looking to raise output of pulses 40% by 2030-31 crop year: Chouhan

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday said the government has set a target to increase India’s pulses production by 40 per cent to 35 million tonne by 2030-31 crop year from the current levels of 25.8 million tonnes in 2024-25.

 

He also called for maintaining a balance between the interest of farmers and consumers through higher procurement under minimum support price (MSP) and optimum import tariffs so that consumers are not unduly burdened.

 

Recently, the Union cabinet approved a six-year central scheme aimed at achieving self-sufficiency in pulses production, with a financial outlay of ₹11,440 crore. The scheme called the ‘Mission for Atma Nirbharta in Pulses’ will be implemented for the period from 2025-26 to 2030-31. 

 

Chouhan was addressing the media to announce the formal launch of the programme along with a host of other initiatives by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 11.

 

He said that the government has identified 100 blocks where productivity is very low compared to the national average. He said in these identified districts, efforts would be made to ensure procurement of urad, masoor and tur pulses at the prevailing MSP.

 

He highlighted that India is the world’s largest pulses producer, but is also the biggest consumer. The country has to import a large quantity of pulses to meet domestic demand.

 

The minister said that the pulses mission aims to boost production and make India self-sufficient.

 

“By 2030-31, we will increase the pulses acreage to 31 million hectares from the current 27.5 million hectares. We have also kept the target to increase pulses output to 35 million tonnes from 24.2 million tonnes in 2023-24,” Chouhan said.

 

In the 2024-25 crop year (July-June), the pulses production is estimated to have risen to 25.23 million tonnes.

 

Chouhan said the crop productivity would be enhanced to 1,130 kg per hectare from the average yield of 881 kg per hectare.

 

The mission, announced by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in this year’s budget, will particularly focus on increasing production of tur, urad and masur pulses with assured procurement by government agencies, National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (Nafed) and National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India Ltd (NCCF), from registered farmers.

 

‘Tariffs treated as weapons, won’t come under pressure’

 

India will not compromise on its national interest amid a volatile political situation where trade and tariffs have become weapons, and asserted that the country must further strengthen food security without relying on global markets, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Thursday while addressing the 120th Annual General Meeting of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

 

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it clear that while India believes in being a ‘global brother’ and is concerned about the world, the country’s interest remains the top priority.

 

“Amid volatile political situations where nations are fighting with each other, where trade and tariffs are treated as weapons, where nations are ruling the world at their whims.... In such a situation, India has to choose its path. We will not come under pressure from anyone. Protecting our country’s interest is our duty, and it is necessary for global peace. A responsible country like India should rise,” he said.