PA R L I A ME

S NT
IA A Shankar IAS Academy Initiative

KURUKSHETRA - NOVEMBER 2016

OIL SEEDS AND PULSES

SHANKAR IAS ACADEMY

Plot No.1742, Ist Floor, 18th Main Road, Anna Nagar, Chennai 600 040.
1
Phone : 044-26216435, 64597222, 4353 3445, Mobile : 94441 66435
www.shankariasacademy.com
 IAS PARLIAMENT
A Shankar IAS Academy initiative

Contents

Sl.No. Titles Page No.

T
1. ROLE OF PULSES IN INDIAN STRATEGIES FOR

EN
ATTAINING SELF SUFFICIENCY IN PULSES....................... 3

M
2. IMPROVED AGRO TECHNIQUES FOR ENHANCING

I A
PRODUCTIVITY OF RABI PULSES AND OILSEEDS.............. 5

3.

R L
POST HARVEST MANAGEMENT...................................... 6

P A <> <> <>

A S
I

www.shankariasacademy.com | www.iasparliament.com
2
 IAS PARLIAMENT
A Shankar IAS Academy initiative

KURUKSHETRA - NOVEMBER 2016

Oil Seeds and Pulses

1. ROLE OF PULSES IN INDIAN Inadequate plants protection: The lack

STRATEGIES FOR ATTAINING of awareness about the pest controlling
SELF SUFFICIENCY IN PULSES strategies and the evolution of new pest also
threat to the plant life and growth.
Factors responsible for low yields of

T
Non availability of HYV seeds: The absence
pulses:

N
of proper research on HYV seeds is another
Delayed sowings and Plantings: The major drawback. Non availability of seeds at

E
inappropriate information dissemination affordable price and appropriate time is also
an added problem.

M
makes the farmer unaware of the climatic
conditions which makes delayed sowing and Fertilizer usage: Imbalanced usage of

A
hence results in poor production. Fertilizer result in depletion of nutrients in

I
the soil making the nutritional imbalance in

L
Low seed rate: The replacement rate of seed the soil. It reduces the soil organic matter.
qualities are low. This result in poor crop Poor management of secondary and micro

R
stands. nutrients mainly Zn, Mn, Fe and Boron

A
further hinders production.
Inefficient weed management: The poor

P
management of weed results in the excess Area of cultivation the area under pulse
usage of nutrients from the soil by unwanted cultivation is under unirrigated or drought

S
plants and creating a nutrient deficiency for prone. About 92% of the cultivation of pulses

A
the crops. is under the above said condition.

I
Why Pulses important in Indian context:
Inefficient water management: The inefficient
irrigation and rainwater management also Nutritional security: Pulses are the cheap
makes farmers to depend on monsoon sources of protein. This ensures the
for rains which again a complex issue for nutritional safety. It protects the people
sustainable production. from the protein malnutrion and protein
deficiency diseases.
Large Scale Mono-culture: After the
Current account deficit: Though India is the
introduction of Green revolution the
largest producer; it is the largest importer
monoculture spread its roots in many parts
of pulses. It increases the current Account
of India. This made the exclusion of pulses deficit (CAD).
from the cropping pattern.

www.shankariasacademy.com | www.iasparliament.com
3

www.shankariasacademy.com | www.iasparliament.com
 IAS PARLIAMENT
A Shankar IAS Academy initiative

Soil Fertility: Since pulses are leguminous
plants, they restrore the fertility of the
soil, which got depleted in the previous
cultivation. Soil Biomass and organic matter
also gets increased. The water holding
capacity of soil and availability of water for
the crops also get increased.
Better Income: Since the demand of Pulses is
Inclusion of Pulses in Cropping Pattern:
The regional crop preference and monoculture
should be abandoned. The mixing of pulses
and other cereals must be introduced. The
pigeon pea - wheat system is an excellent
system which proved to get better economic
returns.
Balanced Fertilisation:

T
always high the farmers also get better and
remunerative returns.

N
Balanced usage of Fertilizers will make the
Inflation: As many Indians diet contain soil fertile and enhances the productivity.

E
vegetation diet, the Pulses become the Nutrients in right proportion and in adequate
integral part of it. This mismatch in demand amount are considered as promoting agro

M
- supply can cause inflation. techniques to sustain yield, increase fertilizer
Measures taken: use efficiency and restore soil health.

I A
Seed Hubs: The seed hubs are created Use of Bio Fertilizes:

L
in several parts of the country to ensure
availability of quality seed of pulses to Use of bio fertilizers such as Rhizobium,

R
farmers. Azospirillum, phosphate solubility Bacteria
(PSB) and Tricoderma also resulting in

A
NFSM: The national Food security mission
significant increase in growth. It also reduces
was extended to all the 29 states with the

P
the cultural eutrophication.
inclusion of pulses. 50% of NFSM has been
dedicated for development of pulses. Plant protection measures:

S
Financial Intervention: The inclusion
New inventions and interventions are

A
of pulses in MSP. The bonus scheme is
done to reduce the pests and increase the

I
also announced. The Bonus amount is
plants growth. Integrated Pest management
awarded additionally to MSP. Creation of
like techniques must be developed and
price stabilisation Fund, which provides
publicised.
the interest free advance working capital
assistance to state and control agencies for Publicity and awareness drive:
undertaking market interventions to control
Prices. Leaflets regarding pulses production should
be made available in all the local languages
Technological intervention:
and should be released among the farmers.
The pulses research and development will Technologies like drip irrigation and
enhance the production of pulses to meet our fertilization may also be popularised among
domestic requirements. These interventions the farmers. Farmers conferences, kisan
made possible to cultivate the pulses in hilly melas can also be arranged.
regions of J&K, UK, HP etc.

www.shankariasacademy.com | www.iasparliament.com
4
 IAS PARLIAMENT
A Shankar IAS Academy initiative
T r a n sp a r e nt Pricin g Po licy and
Marketing features:
T h e k i s a n v i g y a n k e n d r a s p r o v i d e
information about the market prices. The
NAM introduction also, in the sidelines of
bringing the efficiency in the Transparent
marketing system.
e-VAM Facility:
Electronic village Agent model. It is a
model used in Uganda to train youth to
provide door step agricultural services to
small holder farmers through Information
and Technology.
Schemes:
Soil health card, Pradhan Mantri Krishi
Sinchayee yojana also aids in the production
of pulses.
R
A
2. IMPROVED AGRO
TECHNIQUES FOR ENHANCING
P
PRODUCTIVITY OF RABI PULSES
AND OILSEEDS.
S
A
By adopting improved agro techniques
I
viz selection of improved and appropriate
varieties, optimum time of sowing, optimum
plant population, modified tillage, etc can
boost the production of the rabi pulses and
oilseeds in different agro - ecologies of the
country.
Modified Tillage practices
Zero tillage is a technology where the crop
is sown in single tractor operation using
specifically designed seed - cum fertiliser
drill without any field preparation.
www.shankariasacademy.com | www.iasparliament.com
www.shankariasacademy.com | www.iasparliament.com
Bed planting technology is an another
conservation technology wherein, crops are
grown / sown on raised beds for conserving
inputs like seed, fertilizer wages etc.
Rotary tillage is another modified tillage
system, wherein a tractor version rotavator
is used for tilling purposes.
Conservation Tillage is a concept developed
on zero tillage with minimal disturbance of
T
soil, keeping the protective cover of plants
N
and plant residues on soil surface to reduce
soil losses, encourage microbial populations
E
and conserve moisture and nutrients.
M
Optimum sowing Time:
A
Sowing time is a crucial non - monetary input
I
for achieving optimum plant stand which can
L
use natural or external resources efficiency
to convert in the economic product i.e yield.
For both Pulses and oilseeds, generally it is
advocated that early sowing is better under
rainfed or unirrigated conditions compared
with irrigated condition, wherein little later
sowing is possible with due availability of
irrigation water.
Optimum plant population:
Maintaining optimum plant population
is more important in the pulses and oil
seeds having non-tillering habit. So, the
productivity of a crop depends on the
optimum plant stand.
Improved Varieties:
Adaptations of appropriate variety / hybrid
have a large impact on productivity of the
crop. Unlike other factors of production,
varities alone many contribute to the extent
of 10-25% increase in productivity.
5
 IAS PARLIAMENT
A Shankar IAS Academy initiative

Nutrition management: the processing and storage t echniques.

The nutrient management is the resultant
of selection of right source of nutrients for
application at the right rate at the right
time and in the right place. Adequate and
balanced supply of nutrients to the plants
holds the key to successful plant production.
However, According to rough estimates, total
post harvest losses in case of pulses and oil
seeds are in range of 20-25%.
Post harvest system
Cleaning

T
Weed management Practices: Drying

N
The weeds can be controlled by means of

E
alteration in crop husbandry, crop rotation, Sorting / Grading
inter cropping and optimisation of plant

M
population, soil solarisation, conservation
Storage
tillage, mechanical tools, added chemicals

A
and herbicides. Cleaning:

Improved cropping systems:

L I
The mature crop which is harvested must be
cleaned to remove the weed, husk particles,

R
Crop diversification through intercropping
stems, leaves etc before drying.
or crop rotation could be the best strategy

A
to expand acreage and enhance pulses and Drying:

P
oilseeds productivity.
Since pulses and oil seeds are seasonal crops
Irrigation management:

S
they must be stored for longer time. Drying
is on important process in which moisture

A
By irrigation management we can efficiently
content is removed, thereby making the shelf

I
use the water resource because the water is
life of pulses & Oilseeds longer.
directly applied to root zone, that approach
the consumptive use of plants. The root zone Sorting:
moisture must be efficiently maintained for
better productivity. Grading / sorting must be done to categorise
for better price and quality of grains.
3. POST HARVEST MANAGEMENT
Storage:
The extent of losses that takes place at
different stages of post harvest chain differs Grains are biologically active and respire
from grain to grain. Also the extent of loss during the storage. The storage facility must
may fluctuate considerably depending upon be low in temperature and dry in condition.
weather conditions, varieties, locations and

www.shankariasacademy.com | www.iasparliament.com
6
 IAS PARLIAMENT
A Shankar IAS Academy initiative

The reduction of temperature may delay losses caused by

germination and arrests the growth of insects combined action
and fungi. Poor storage of insects, moulds,
rodents and other
Post harvest losses pests.
Broken and powdering
Shattering losses, Improper Milling
loss
Late harvest losses due to attack of
birds and other pests. Quantitative and
Defective Packaging
Qualitative loss.
Losses due to
Insufficient drying of

T
development of moulds
grain The above said losses must be contained and
and insects.

N
the post harvest chain must be strengthened
Broken grains and
scientifically. So that the sustainable grain

E
threat of insect
Improper Threshing production and utilisation can be achieved in
development at later

M
real sense.
stage.

I A
L
<> <> <>

A R
P
A S
I

www.shankariasacademy.com | www.iasparliament.com
7

www.shankariasacademy.com | www.iasparliament.com