India Will Remain Major Pulse Buyer

VANCOUVER - Jan 20/08 - SNS -- India will remain the world's largest importer of pulses for many years to come because of difficulty lifting domestic production to levels which will cover basic needs, believes the U.S. agricultural attache for the country.

With a growing population and rising consumer incomes, domestic pulse consumption has been growing in recent years and it now averaging around 14 million metric tons (MT) per year. However, with no significant breakthrough in domestic production and rising domestic prices, imports are increasing, reaching around 2.8 million MT for the country's 2006-07 fiscal year.

Yellow dry peas, chickpeas and mung beans now account for a major share of imports. The U.S. agricultural attache said the U.S. share of India's pulse imports remains small, but it is now rising. In 2006, India covered 3.04% of its pulse imports in the United States, up form just 0.15% in 2003.

Although India's total food grain production jumped by 24% to 216.1 million MT during Crop Year (July-June) 2003-04 to 2006-07, pulse production registered negative growth during the corresponding period.

Pulses, on average, occupy around 18% of the total food grain planted area but account for only 7% of total grain production. Pulses are a predominantly rain fed crop with area in the past fluctuating between 20 to 24 million hectares and production between 13 to 14 million MT. Almost 60% of annual production is in the rabi (winter) season and 40% in the kharif (monsoon) season. Desi chickpeas (gram) accounts for almost 60% of the total pulse production, followed by pigeon peas (tur).

Other major pulse crops grown are black matpe (urd), mung beans, lentils (masur), and dry peas (muttar) and small quantities of black eye beans, kidney beans. Pulse yields in India are very low due to lack of irrigation and poor input use levels (quality seeds) and are roughly one third of the U.S. pulse yield.

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