Why has pulses sowing gone up?

Contrary to expectations, acreage under pulses has gone up this kharif season.

Data from the Ministry of Agriculture on Friday showed an increase in area under pulses by 25.8 lakh hectare or 38 per cent compared to past averages (the normal of corresponding week).

Area under urad has increased by 10.34 lakh hectare or 63 per cent over the normal for the season so far. Sowing of arhar (tur) and moong has also gone up.

Increases in pulses sowing has been spotted mainly in Rajasthan (total 14.91 lakh hectares), Madhya Pradesh (9.31 lakh hectares) and Karnataka (3.41 lakh hectares).

With bumper production in pulses in 2016-17 at 22.4 million tonnes, market prices crashed over 30-35 per cent and many farmers sold their crops at much below MSP. So, it was expected that farmers may keep away from pulses this year.

So, why did farmers go for pulses?

The loss in soyabean has benefited pulses. Many soyabean farmers in Rajasthan and MP have moved to urad and coarse cereals (mainly bajra). Ramdayal Gurjar, a farmer from Bundi, Rajasthan, said: “Rains were very erratic this year, and, many farmers like me didn’t want to take risk with soyabean as the crop requires lot of water. And, unlike pulse crops, soyabean requires more doses of weedicides too, so our costs go up.” Souvik Dhar of SRIJAN, a NGO that works with farmers in Rajasthan, said that for farmers who have a holding of 1-2 acre and do not engage labour, the cost of production for pulses is very low and they make a good profit at MSP.

In Pali district of Rajasthan, many farmers have shifted from maize to urad. Saghi Bai, a farmer from Kalibore village of Pali district, said: “In urad, the yield is much better compared to maize. Also, maize takes 110-120 days to harvest, but urad is done in 70-75 days.”

The situation has been similar in MP. Gopal Singh, a farmer from Ambar Village who has increased sowing under urad this year, said: “Cost of cultivation in soyabean is high, and, prices have been down for a long time; so I reduced my sowing under soyabean and have sown urad on more area this time.”

Government data too show a change in cropping pattern and a shift away from soyabean and maize. The area under maize has reduced by 7.99 lakh hectare or 11.7 per cent over the same period last year. Area under soyabean is down 18.27 lakh hectare (17.8 per cent).

Farmers have avoided most oilseeds as market pricing have been ruling low for a long time. Groundnut and sunflower too have seen sowing drop.

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