MUMBAI, 1 Oct (Commoditiescontrol): The Kharif season in 2024 has witnessed a notable increase in the area under pulse cultivation, marking a positive trend for India's agricultural output. As of September 27, 2024, the total area sown for pulses stands at 128.10 lakh hectares, up by 8.83 lakh hectares compared to the 119.27 lakh hectares sown during the same period last year. This growth underscores the increasing focus on pulse crops to meet rising domestic and export demand.
Arhar (Pigeon Peas) continues to be the leading pulse crop, with an area coverage of 46.50 lakh hectares, a substantial increase of 5.76 lakh hectares from the previous year’s 40.74 lakh hectares. This growth reflects the favorable climatic conditions and strong market demand for pigeon pea.
Moongbean (Green Gram) area coverage reached 35.58 lakh hectares, up by 4.09 lakh hectares from last year's 31.49 lakh hectares. Moongbean's growing popularity among farmers can be attributed to its shorter growing period and market demand.
Moth bean cultivation increased slightly to 10.53 lakh hectares from 9.42 lakh hectares last year, showing a gain of 1.11 lakh hectares. The crop, predominantly grown in arid regions, has benefited from improved rainfall this season.
Minor pulses such as Kulthi and other varieties also saw modest increases in area. Kulthi (horse gram) expanded to 0.59 lakh hectares, up from 0.43 lakh hectares, while other pulses increased to 4.90 lakh hectares from 4.59 lakh hectares.
The only notable decline in pulse crops was seen in Urdbean, which recorded a decrease in area sown, dropping to 30 lakh hectares from 32.60 lakh hectares last year, a reduction of 2.60 lakh hectares. This decline may be attributed to localized unfavorable conditions or market trends.
The growth in pulse cultivation bodes well for India's domestic food security and export potential, particularly in light of the increasing demand for pulses both within and outside the country. With the support of government initiatives and favorable weather, pulses are expected to contribute significantly to the agricultural sector's overall performance in the Kharif season of 2024.
(By Commoditiescontrol Bureau; +91 98201 30172)
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