| dc.description.abstract | Pulses have been an important traditional food crop of India. India is the largest producer
and consumer of pulses. However, pulse acreage and yield has not kept pace with the
growing demand in India. As a result, India is also the single largest importer of pulses
today. While Green Revolution in India focused on cereal crops, pulses remained an
orphaned and neglected crop. However, from the triple perspective of economy,
environmental sustainability, and provision of balanced nutrition; pulses have now been
recognized as the future of food. India can substantially increase her production and yield in
pulses with a strategic emphasis on research in public and private sector, expanding irrigation
infrastructure, provision of MSP to pulses, assured procurement by government for
PDS/MDMS, facilitation of mini dal mills and storage at village level, and allowing futures
markets to function. Price stability for consumers can also be attained by reduction in
middlemen margins through modern warehousing, FDI in wholesale and retail trade,
introducing competition to APMC markets, and substantial reduction in import tariffs on
substitute products such as chicken | en_US |
