Niti Aayog recommends strategies to double India's pulses production by 2047 and self-sufficient by 2030

Government think-tank Niti Aayog has recommended strategies and pathways to be adopted by government to make India self-sufficient, (Atmanirbhar) in pulses by 2030 and double the production of pulses by 2047.

The report noted, India's pulses production is set to witness steady growth in the coming years with output projected to rise to 34.45 million tonnes (MT) by 2030 and 51.57 MT by 2047, up from 26.06 MT in 2022.

The report said that the projections are based on both aggregate and crop-wise forecasts. The individual crop-level estimates place production at 32.1 MT by 2030 and 50.7 MT by 2047, which are closely aligned with the aggregate projections.

The report gave several recommendations to achieve self-sufficiency in pulse sector. It includes, area retention and diversification through targeted crop-wise clustering, adoption of customised technologies for varied agro-ecological sub regions, emphasis on high quality seed distribution and treatment kits focussing on 111 high potential districts along with 'one block one seed village' cluster based cultivation.

The report also emphasises on proactive climate adoption measures and driving data-led transformation through comprehensive monitoring and decision support system are crucial for Aatmanirbharta.

The convergence of these approaches strengthens the validity of the forecasts, it added.

NITI Aayog in its report further stated "a steady increase in production, reaching an estimated 34.45 MT by 2030 and 51.57 MT by 2047 up from 26.06 MT in 2022".

The report also examined the demand-supply gap of pulses at the national level. It said the projections were prepared after accounting for factors like gross production, imports, exports, stock changes, and use for seed, feed and wastage.

Over the past decade, the report shared that the average share of seed, feed and wastage was 11.2 per cent of gross production, which was used to estimate supply. Based on this, the supply of pulses is projected at 30.6 MT by 2030 and 45.8 MT by 2047.

Under the household/static approach scenario, the report projected a surplus situation in the coming years. By 2030, India is expected to see a surplus of 3.79 MT, which may further rise to 16.48 MT by 2047.

On the demand side, the report highlighted the importance of promoting healthy consumption in line with ICMR-NIN recommendations. It said this requires creating awareness about the nutritional value of pulses, encouraging their inclusion in diets, and addressing consumer preferences.

The report said that by adopting a comprehensive approach to both supply and demand, India can bridge the gaps in the pulses sector and work towards Aatmanirbharta while ensuring a sustainable future for this key commodity.