Agriculture Minister focuses on increasing productivity of oilseeds and pulses

New Delhi: The Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Radha Mohan Singh Tuesday in the consultative committee meeting here outlined the thrust of the Agriculture Ministry for increasing the productivity of oil seeds and pulses to achieve self sufficiency.

He said that in order to reach self-sufficiency by the year 2025 productivity per hectare needs to be enhanced to about 1000 kg per hectare.

He emphasized the need for greater mechanization in harvesting of pulses and oilseeds to prevent harvest loss.

Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Ministry of Agriculture will jointly work on a two-pronged approach of productivity enhancement and increasing production through area expansion for the shortage of pulses.

ICAR is having research programmes for nine annual oilseeds crops at four commodity based research institutes.

India has a number of oil yielding species of plant origin which include the nine annuals, two perennials (oil palm and coconut) and some minor oil bearing species of forest and tree origin.

The Minister said that in order to make country self sufficient in vegetable oil, the productivity enhancement programme for oilseeds may also require institutional and policy support in a campaign mode besides technological support from ICAR.

ICAR is engaged in development of high yielding varieties/hybrids and associated crop production and protection technologies of various pulse crops through coordination with Indian Institute of Pulse Research, Kanpur and State Agricultural Universities.

Technological breakthrough in pulses in terms of notification of high yielding and pest/disease tolerant crop varieties/hybrids has been achieved.

Singh has proposed to cover 500 kvks through field demonstration for increasing pulses cultivation from the earlier 400 Kvks. The Minister also said that 100 seed hubs have been sanctioned for breeder seeds.

Members cutting across party lines complimented the Minister for the new thrust on farmers’ welfare and the steps being taken by the NDA government to increase agricultural production especially in pulses and oilseeds.

The meeting was attended by the Ministers of State in the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Parshottam Rupala, S.S. Ahluwalia and Sudarshan Bhagat. Some members of Parliament have also attended this meeting.