R &D to increase production of pulses

NEW DELHI: Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is making continuous efforts and has taken a number of Research and Development (R&D) initiative towards pulses in the country. As a result, there has been about one-and-half-times improvement in the yield of pulses during the last 60 years from 500 kg/ha in 1954-55 to 728 kg/ha in 2014-15.

The systematic and concerted efforts of ICAR has led to the development of 59 high yielding climate-resilient varieties of pulses for different agro ecological situations during the last five years (2011-2015). Early maturing and thermo-tolerant varieties for newer niches and cropping systems have also been developed. To ensure availability of quality seed to the farmers, 69391 q breeder seeds of pulses were produced and supplied to different seed producing agencies for further multiplication during the last five years (2010-11 to 2014-15).

In order to boost the production of pulses in the country, the ICAR and DAC&FW under the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, have jointly prepared roadmap and action-plan with two-pronged approach of productivity enhancement and increasing production through area expansion under various ongoing Central schemes. The strategy includes increasing productivity of pulses by reducing the yield gap at the farmers’ fields through a mission mode programme for promoting improved technology of pulses, improving seed replacement rate (SRR), provision for life saving irrigation, ensuring availability of critical inputs with corresponding policy support in the form of attractive MSP, procurement, credit, insurance, subsidies, etc. to protect the interest of pulse growers.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Agriculture Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Balyan in Rajya Sabha on Friday.