| 1.2
PULSES
Pulses are the principal source of dietary proteins in a
vegetarian country like India. Increasing their production and keeping their prices within
the reach of the poor therefore assume paramount importance. Major contribution of the
TMOP&M to Pulse sector may be attributed to area stabilization (coverage) of pulses
despite, the increase in irrigation/resources which motivate farmers to go for the
cultivation as rich input responsive crops like Cereals/Vegetables/Sugarcane etc. The area
coverage of 235.0 lakh hectares and a production of 149.1 lakh tonnes (634 kg/ha yield)
achieved in 1998-99 maybe credited to the NPDP implementation in 30 States/T.Ts covering
350 districts of the country. The major pulse crops of the country are redgram or
pigeonpea (tur, arhar), chickpea or gram, blackgram (urdbean), greengram (mungbean) and
lentil (masur), Minor pulses include rajmash and other beans, cowpea, horsegram, moth,
khesari-dal, guar etc. |
