Lok Sabha Question No. 2210 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-29
Subject: Availability of Pulses, Rice and Wheat
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: PARBHUBHAI NAGARBHAI VASAVA, HARI BABU KAMBHAMPATI, MEKAPATI RAJAMOHAN REDDY, MD. BADARIDDOZA KHAN, SATYA PAL SINGH, J. JAYASINGH THIYAGARAJ NATTERJEE, PONNUSAMY VENUGOPAL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2210

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  29 TH  NOVEMBER, 2016

## AVAILABILITY OF PULSES, RICE AND WHEAT

2210.  SHRI PARBHUBHAI NAGARBHAI VASAVA:

DR. KAMBHAMPATI HARIBABU:

SHRI M. RAJA MOHAN REDDY:

SHRI MD. BADARUDDOZA KHAN:

SHRI SATYAPAL SINGH:

SHRI J.J.T. NATTERJEE:

DR. P. VENUGOPAL:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE   ‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं कसान कयाण

½ãâ¨ããè

be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the demand and availability of pulses, rice and wheat in the country during the last three years and the current year, State-wise;
- (b) whether efforts of the Government to increase the production of these crops are not  yielding  the  desired  results  in  the  country,  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the corrective measures taken by the Government in this regard;
- (c) whether the Government has developed and released several early maturing pulse varieties  including  arhar  dal  and  moong  dal  for  commercial  cultivation  to  achieve  selfsufficiency in pulses and if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government to  provide  seeds  of  these  pulse  varieties  to  the  farmers  and  ensure  their  sale  and availability  in  the  market  along  with  the  availability  of  such  seeds  of  other  crops  in  the country, crop-wise; and
- (d) whether the Government is considering to set up seed hubs and provide incentives to seed growers and take steps to strengthen bio-fertilizer and bio-agent labs, distribution of seed mini kits, enhancing breeder seed production and demonstration of improved crop production technologies and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  increase  minimum  support  price  for  crops and provide incentives/bonus over MSP for cultivation of pulses in the country, and if so, the details thereof and the roadmap drawn up to increase the production of pulses in the country?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF  STATE IN THE  MINISTRY OF  AGRICULTURE AND  FARMERS  WELFARE

‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं  कसान  कयाण ½ãâ¨ããÊã¾ã  ½ãñâ  Àã·¾ã  ½ãâ¨ããè (SHRI  S.S. AHLUWALIA)

- (a): The  State-wise  data  of  availability  and  demand  of  agricultural  crops  are  not available.  As  per  the  Report  of  the  Working  Group  on  Crop  Husbandry,  Agricultural Inputs,  Demand  and  Supply  Projections  and  Agricultural  Statistics  for  the  Twelfth  Five Year Plan (2012-17) total demand for pulses, rice, and wheat for 2016-17 is projected at 21.68 million tonnes, 89.06 million tonnes and 110.21 million tonnes respectively. Details of all India availability of pulses, rice and wheat during the last three years i.e. 2013-14 to 2015-16 are given in the Table below :

(Million tonnes)

| Crop   | Availability (Production + Imports)   | Availability (Production + Imports)   | Availability (Production + Imports)   |
|--------|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
|        | 2013-14                               | 2014-15                               | 2015-16 P                             |
| Pulses | 22.89                                 | 21.74                                 | 22.27                                 |
| Rice   | 106.66                                | 105.49                                | 104.32                                |
| Wheat  | 95.88                                 | 86.56                                 | 94.02                                 |

P

: Provisional

(b) & (c): Details of production of pulses, rice and wheat in the country for 2013-14 to 2015-16 are given in the Table below:

(Million tonnes)

| Crop   |   2013-14 |   2014-15 |   2015-16* |
|--------|-----------|-----------|------------|
| Pulses |     19.25 |     17.15 |      16.47 |
| Rice   |    106.65 |    105.48 |     104.32 |
| Wheat  |     95.85 |     86.53 |      93.5  |

* 4 th Advance Estimates

The agricultural production depends  upon several factors including  availability  of cultivable land, vagaries of nature, temperature, weather and rainfall scenario, availability of water in reservoirs etc.

To increase production and productivity of agricultural crops, Government of India is implementing through State Governments, several Crop Development Schemes/Programmes such as National Food Security Mission (NFSM), Rashtriya Krishi Vikas  Yojana  (RKVY),  Bringing  Green  Revolution  to  Eastern  India  (BGREI),  National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP), National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana, Soil Health Card etc.

Under these Schemes/Programmes, funds are provided to States for implementation of State-specific agricultural strategies including incentives to farmers for use of quality seeds, Integrated Nutrient Management (INM), Integrated Pest Management (IPM), farm mechanization, etc. The States are also  provided support for creation of agricultural infrastructure for optimal use of water and other natural resources.

In order to increase the production of pulses, rice and wheat, the Indian Council of Agricultural  Research  (ICAR)  is  engaged  in  basic,  strategic  and  applied  research programmes  on  different  pulses  (Chickpea,  Pigeonpea,  Mungbean,  Urdbean,  Lentil, Lathyrus, Rajmash, Fieldpea, Mothbean, Horsegram and Cowpea), rice and wheat at four commodity  based  institutes  and  six  All  India  Coordinated  Research  Projects  on  these crops  for  developing  location  specific  varieties/hybrids  and  suitable  production  and protection technologies. The efforts of ICAR have resulted in the release of 79 varieties of different pulses, 143 of rice and 61 of wheat that have fair degree of tolerance to biotic and abiotic  stresses.  Early  maturing  varieties/hybrids  of  oilseeds  and  pulses  have  also been found suitable for cultivation in newer niches and cropping systems.

(d): Under National Food Security Mission (NFSM) - Pulses 100 Seed Hubs have been approved  for  increasing  indigenous  seed  production  of  pulses  through  ICAR,  State Agriculture Universities (SAUs) and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs). Front Line Demonstrations (FLDs) are being carried out by KVKs of ICAR and SAUs during kharif, rabi  and  summer  seasons  to  demonstrate  improved  production  technologies  including seeds  of  newer  varieties  of  pulses.  15%  of  allocation  for  pulses  under  NFSM  is earmarked for production of quality seeds to State Governments.

Details of cropwise requirement and availability of certified/quality seed for 2014-15 to 2016-17 is at Annexure.

(e): Government has increased Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) of all crops in 201617  season.  In  addition,  to  incentivize  farmers  to  grow  pulses  a  bonus  of  Rs.  425  per quintal  each  for  Tur,  Moong  and  Urad,  Rs.  200  per  quintal  for  Gram  and  Rs.  150  per quintal for Masur has also been announced for 2016-17 season.

Government  has  also  taken  several  initiatives  to  increase  production  of  pulses which inter alia includes NFSM-Pulses, BGREI-as part of demonstrations under cropping system based approach to target rice fallow areas, FLDs of pulses, Production of breeder seeds etc.

In addition Government is undertaking procurement, whenever required, to ensure MSP to the farmers.

## Annexure Cropwise requirement and availability of certified/quality seed for 2014-15 to 2016-17

(Qty. In Lakh quintals)

| Crop           | 2014-15     | 2014-15      | 2015-16     | 2015-16      | 2016-17     | 2016-17      |
|----------------|-------------|--------------|-------------|--------------|-------------|--------------|
|                | Requirement | Availability | Requirement | Availability | Requirement | Availability |
| Wheat          | 112.53      | 116.86       | 113.46      | 117.98       | 117.55      | 136.57       |
| Paddy          | 84.80       | 92.92        | 82.86       | 95.10        | 87.74       | 100.48       |
| Cereal total   | 215.58      | 230.74       | 215.15      | 235.53       | 225.79      | 259.71       |
| Moong          | 2.79        | 3.31         | 2.87        | 3.23         | 2.68        | 3.27         |
| Arhar          | 2.64        | 2.78         | 2.51        | 2.72         | 2.71        | 2.97         |
| Pulses Total   | 28.88       | 28.87        | 30.49       | 27.24        | 31.66       | 31.28        |
| Oilseeds Total | 67.13       | 61.93        | 59.45       | 51.39        | 56.49       | 59.14        |
| Cotton         | 2.22        | 2.63         | 1.95        | 2.08         | 2.22        | 2.35         |

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