PM Modi asks farmers to raise pulses production

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today asked farmers to enhance pulses production to help India become self-sufficient and reduce imports by using one-fifth of their farming land to cultivate lentils.

Invoking former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri's slogan "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan," Modi asked farmers to try and grow pulses on part of their land.

He said, "Pulses production in the country is very low and I urge farmers that if they have five acres of farming land, at least one acre should be used to cultivate pulses."

Increase in production would help in reducing import and ensuring sufficient availability of the commodity in India, he added.

The Prime Minister was speaking after laying the foundation stone of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute ( IARI) today at Barhi in Jharkhand.

India imports about 3-4 million tonnes of pulses annually to meet domestic demand.

The production is estimated to have fallen to 17.38 million tonnes in 2014-15 crop year (July-June) from 19.25 million tonnes in the previous year due to deficient monsoon, unseasonal rains and hailstorms.

In 2014-15, India's pulses import grew by 41.45 per cent to USD 2.58 billion as against USD 1.82 billion in the previous fiscal.

Modi also talked about steps being taken by the central government to boost the production of pulses.

He further said that animal husbandry and fisheries were equally important for the agriculture sector.

The Prime Minister added the government has decided to pay special attention to the dairy sector in Jharkhand.

On the occasion, Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said it was the need of hour to set up a second IARI in Jharkhand on the lines of IARI, Pusa, New Delhi.

The Agriculture Minister said the institute will help in meeting the challenges in the field of agriculture in the state in a scientific manner.