Research failure behind red gram shortage?

VV Balakrishna
First Published : 24 Aug 2009 03:46:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 24 Aug 2009 10:55:49 AM IST

HYDERABAD: Lack of focused research on red gram (pigeon pea) has apparently led to the present situation of acute shortage of pulses and price touching an all-time high of Rs 100 per kilo.

``Not much research has gone into red gram crop,’’ Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy told reporters in an informal chat recently.

Several decades of neglect have seen yield per acre stagnating at between 2 to 3.5 tonnes per acre.

This is in contrast with wheat and rice which have benefited from extensive research. The yield per acre of wheat, which used to be just 8 to 10 quintals a few years ago, is now between 25 and 50 quintals.

Similarly, productivity of paddy was just 13 quintals, but with improved seed varieties it now touches 50 quintals per acre in rabi and 40 in kharif.

The reason for lack of research in pulses, especially in red gram, is that none has recognised pulses as major food crops. But over a period of time consumption of redgram has increased in the country for its nutritional value.

When NT Rama Rao was chief minister and wanted to distribute the 1,000 acres of surplus lands of the Challapalli Zamindar in Krishna district, some suggested that a pulses research station be set up there. But litigation put paid to the proposal.

The officials the leased in 110 acres and started a research station for pulses in Challapalli, but the work there seems not very effective for want of proper monitoring.

Several farmer organisations have been urging the State Government to start a ``rice fallow pulses research station’’ in the State. Though there is an ongoing all-India coordinated research project on pigeon pea, the technology has yet to be transferred from lab to farm.

With 20 per cent protein, red gram is an important supplement to an energy rich cereal diet.

According to sources at the Indian Institute of Pulses Research, the production of red gram increased from 1.7 million tonnes in 1950 to 2.8 million tonnes in 2006.

However, the crop acreage has hardly increased over the years.

Consequently, per capita availability of pigeon pea is very low, the IIPR sources said.

TDP leader Ummareddy Venkateswarlu has demanded that the State Government establish a research station on pulses focusing on improvement in yield and quality, and boosting of biotic and abiotic resistance.

vvbalakrishna@epmltd.com