Growth and Trends of Pulse Production in India

Abstract

This paper examines the growth and trend of pulse production in India using time series data on area, production, yield and trade pertaining to the period 1980-81 to 2008-09. The period has been divided into two parts viz., before (1980-81 to 1994-95) and after (1995-96 to 2008-09). Linear, semi-log growth function and compound growth function were tried to examine the growth and trend. The compound growth was, however, found to have best fitting with the data. The positive percent change in area, production and yield of pigeonpea, chickpea and total pulse have been observed during both before and after the launch of TMOP except in case of lentil there was negative percent change in area of chickpea and yield of pigeonpea also showed negative percent change before the launch of TMOP. The pigeonpea showed positive growth in area and production to the time of 0.50 and 0.20 percent annually while its yield has shown downtrend with 0.30 percent annually. In chickpea, the positive of 0.20, 0.50 and 0.30 percent annually in area, production and yield during post period of TMOP have been found. The area and production of lentil have grown up by 1.80 and 2.50 percent annually, respectively during the entire period of study, while its yield observed negative growth rate 0.20 percent during post period of TMOP. For total pulse production and yield have risen by 0.50 and 0.70 percent annually, respectively, during the entire period of study while its area has been down by 0.20 percent per annum. The import and export of pulses have also grown up substantially per annum to the tune of 8.90 land 23.40 percent annually during the entire period. Effective increase in area and yield has mattered in general in fetching differential production of pulses during post period. Area of pulses has been most stable with few exceptions as compared to production and yield of pulse corps indicating thereby technological interaction in the pulse production. On other hand, instability in export and import has, however, been quite high during the period of study.