Question : Fifth Pulses Conclave

(a) whether India is going to host the Fifth Pulses Conclave 2020, if so, the details thereof and the number of stakeholders from India and other countries which are expected to participate in the conclave;

(b) the main theme and the agenda of the conclave and the benefit India got out of arranging such conclaves in the past;

(c) whether production of pulses has been steadily growing in the country and especially in Tripura and if so, the details of total area under pulse production and quantum of pulses produced during each of the last three years along with the quantum of pulses exported and foreign exchange earned;

(d) whether India, being the largest producer of pulses in the world, is still the largest importer of pulses, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor along with the name of countries from which pulses are being/were imported along with the rates at which the same were imported; and

(e) the corrective steps taken by the Government to boost pulse production in the country?

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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(a): Yes Sir, India Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA) will host the fifth biennial Global Pulses Conclave from 12-14th February, 2020 at Lonavala, Pune. Over 1000 delegates are likely to attend the Pulses Conclave 2020, with trade delegations from all major pulses producing nations.

(b): The Pulses Conclave provides a platform for domestic and international participants to converge, connect & capitalise on business opportunities.




(c): Production of pulses has steadily been growing in the country. The area and production of pulses in Tripura as well as in the country during 2016-17 to 2018-19 is as under;

Area and Production data of Pulses

Area in Thousand Hectares
Production in Thousand Tonnes


Year Area Production
Tripura All India
Tripura All India

2016-17 24.33 29446.7 16.72 23130.9
2017-18 27.23 29813.2 19.33 25416.2
2018-19* 25.85 29032.1 18.92 23397.5
*as per 4th Advance Estimates



The quantum of pulses exported and foreign exchange earned are at Table 1 of the Annexure.

(d): India being the largest producer of pulses in the world is still the largest importer of pulses. India imports pulses to meet the gap between domestic production and demand. The details of countries from where pulses are being imported along with the import detail & landed cost are given at Table 2 of the Annexure.

(e): Government of India is implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme namely National Food Security Mission (NFSM)-Pulses to increase the production through area expansion and productivity enhancement. Under this programme, assistance is being given to the farmers through State Governments for organizing various types of demonstrations on improved production technologies, seed production & distribution, integrated nutrient and pest management, improved farm implements/resource conservation machines/tools, improved water devices, cropping system based training etc.
Under the programme new initiatives have also been undertaken from 2016-17 onwards. These initiatives are breeder seed production, creation of 150 seed hubs in Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)/State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), supply of seed minikits free of cost to the farmers, conducting frontline demonstrations on improved latest package of practices by ICAR/SAUs/Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) etc.

Besides, for increasing the production of pulses, the special programmes on inter-cropping of pulses with sugarcane, Targeting Rice Fallow Area (TRFA) for sowing of pulses and Special Action Plan for increasing pulses productivity in low productivity districts of the country have also been initiated.