India Working On Expanding Chickpea Output
VANCOUVER - May 11/13 - SNS -- India is the world's largest producer and consumer of chickpeas, but the country continues to expend effort into expanding production in an effort to limit growth in pulse imports and to rteduce the nutrition gap for its pioorest citizens,
In a written reponse to questions in parliament, the country's agriculture minister Shri Tariq Anwar said:
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) undertakes systematic and concerted research on chickpea through its on-going plan projects under Indian Institute of Pulses Research (IIPR), Kanpur and All India Coordinated Research Project on Chickpea. The research programme includes basic and strategic research for development of location-specific climate resilient high yielding chickpea varieties and improved production and protection technologies.
A total of 13 high yielding varieties of chickpea have been released during the last three years. In addition, 3,078 metric tons (MT) of breeder seeds of improved varieties of chickpea were also produced for multiplication of certified seeds so as to ensure the supply of quality seeds to the farmers.
In order to increase the production and productivity of pulses including chickpea in the country, the Government of India is implementing several Crop Development Schemes Programs such as National Food Security Mission (NFSM-Pulses), Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), etc.
National Food Security Mission has been strengthened from April 1, 2010 with the merger of pulses component of Integrated Scheme of Oilseeds, Pulses, Oilpalm and Maize (ISOPOM). In addition, a new program "Accelerated Pulses Production Programme (A3P)" has been started under NFSM since 2010-11 to take up active propagation of key technologies in the form of block demonstrations for improving productivity of pulses.
Chickpea U.S. Loan Program
The USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation office sets prices to be used by country offices for determining marketing loan repayment rates. For 2013 crop product, the price for small chickpeas up three cents at U.S. $25.37 per 100 pounds (cwt) and up three cents at $33.37 for large chickpeas.
At this level there is no Loan Deficiency Payment (LDP) for small chickpeas based on a loan rate of $7.43 and $11.28 for large chickpeas.
As of May 10, growers in the United States have placed 1.77 million pounds of 2012 crop chickpeas under loan. Growers in Montana have placed 1.152 million pounds under loan, compared to 618,000 pounds in North Dakota.
Of the 2012-13 crop loans, 506,000 pounds have been repaid.
U.S. farmers had placed 1.8536 million 2011 crop chickpeas under loan, compared to 571,700 pounds in 2010-11; 1.7488 million pounds in 2009-10; 798,400 pounds in 2008-09; 482,000 pounds in 2007-08; and 1.664 million pounds in 2006-07; and none in 2005-06.
Growers have requested no LDP Payments so far this marketing year. In 2007-08 and 2006-07, they requested no LDP payments. In 2005-06, they requested a total of $183,840 in LDPs covering 10.711 million pounds.
Only active subscribers can read all of this article.
If you are a subscriber, please log into the website.
If you are not a subscriber, click here to subscribe to this edition of the STAT website and to learn more about becoming a subscriber.
