Government targets to increase pulses production to 24 MT by 2020-21

The government is targeting to increase the production of pulses by around 50% to 24 million tonne (MT) by 2020-21 through use of hybrid and high-yielding seed varieties. The government has envisaged a comprehensive action plan under centrally sponsored scheme of National Food Security Mission (NFSM) to achieve production of 20 MT pulses in 2016-17, 21 MT in 2017-18 and 24 MT in 2020-21 as against production of 16.47 MT in 2015-16.

The government is giving thrust on increasing the productivity of oilseeds and pulses, as per information provided by Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh. The country imported Rs 69,717 crore worth of edible oils and Rs 18,000 crore worth of pulses during last fiscal in order to meet the domestic demand. The growth rate of edible oil consumption has increased at 4.3%, while the annual oilseeds output increased at about 2.2%.

It has been estimated that oilseed production to the tune of 86.84 MT and 93.32 MT would be required by 2020 and 2025 respectively in order to meet the annual consumption of vegetable oil in the country by 2020 and 2025.