India is set to become the world’s largest producer of lentil (masoor) during the 2023-24 crop year on account of higher acreage, Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar said. This is significant for India which, despite being among the world’s top five lentil growers, second only to Canada, depends on imports to meet its domestic demands.The country’s lentil production is estimated to touch an all-time high of 1.6 million tonnes in the 2023-24 rabi season on higher acreage.According to official data, in the 2022-23 crop year, the country’s lentil production stood at 1.56 million tonnes.
Lentils
- Lentil is a bushy annual herbaceous plant of the legume family.
- These are edible legumes, known for their lens-shaped, flat disced seed.
- Lentil plants are typically short, and bear self-pollinated flowers.
- Lentil grains are excellent sources of energy, carbohydrates, protein, fat, fibers, phosphorus, iron, zinc, carotene, vitamins, and antioxidants.
Climatic Condition
- Lentil is primarily grown as a rainfed crop.
- It requires cold temperature during its vegetative growth and warm temperature at the time of maturity.
- Lentil is grown during rabi season.
Soil Types
- Lentils can grow on various soil types, from sand to clay loam, growing best in deep sandy loam soils with moderate fertility.
- A soil pH around 7 would be the best. Lentils do not tolerate flooding or water-logged conditions.
Lentil Growing Region
- It is mainly cultivated in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.
- The Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh is considered as lentil bowl which contributes nearly 25% to the total lentil production in the country.
- According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the world top lentil growers in 2022 were Canada, India, Australia, Turkey, and Russia.
- Despite being the second largest producer of lentil, India has so far been relying on imports to meet its domestic requirements, buying mainly from Australia, Canada, Russia, Singapore, and Turkey.
Status of Pulse Production in India
- India is the largest producer (25% of global production), consumer (27% of world consumption) and importer (14%) of pulses in the world.
- Pulses account for around 20% of the area under foodgrains and contribute around 7-10% of the total foodgrains production in the country.
- Gram is the most dominant pulse having a share of around 40 % in the total production followed by Tur/Arhar at 15 to 20 % and Urad/Black Matpe and Moong at around 8-10 % each.
- Though pulses are grown in both Kharif and Rabi seasons, Rabi pulses contribute more than 60% of the total production.
- Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka are the top five pulses-producing states.