India Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA) hosts the first edition of Bharat Dalhan Seminar 2024 focusing on indigenous pulses production and policy reforms

The landmark seminar organised at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi was supported by the Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Govt. of India; Department of Agriculture & Farmer Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmer Welfare Government of India; NITI Aayog; ICAR-Indian Institute of Pulses Research (IIPR), and Global Pulse Confederation 

Delhi : India Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA), the apex body of India’s pulses and grains industry and trade as well as the knowledge hub of the global pulses sector successfully hosted the first edition of Bharat Dalhan Seminar 2024 focusing on indigenous pulses production and policy reforms at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi on 9th August, 2024.

The landmark seminar was supported by the Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Govt. of India; Department of Agriculture & Farmer Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmer Welfare Government of India; NITI Aayog; ICAR- Indian Institute of Pulses Research (IIPR) and Global Pulse Confederation. The seminar is a step towards realising IPGA’s vision to make the Indian pulses and grains sector globally competitive and advance India’s food and nutrition security.

Bharat Dalhan Seminar 2024 commenced with a lamp-lighting ceremony in the august presence of distinguished dignitaries, including Shri. B. L. Verma, Hon’ble Minister of State for the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, GOI; Mrs. Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya, Minister of Parliament Bhavnagar Lok Sabha, Minister of State, Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution; Shri. Mitesh Patel, Member of Parliament, Anand, Loksabha, Gujarat; Dr. Ashok Gulati, Distinguished Professor, ICRIER, Former Chairman CACP, GOI; Shri. Vijay Paul Sharma, Chairman, CACP, GOI; Mr. Vijay Iyengar, President, Global Pulse Confederation, Mr. Bimal Kothari, Chairman, IPGA; and Mr. Manek Gupta – Vice Chairman IPGA. Besides there were representations from several countries including Australia, Argentina and Brazil.

The seminar attracted over 700 delegates including regional associations, millers, promotional agencies, research scientists, food technologists, processing companies, value chain participants, service providers and related others to discuss opportunities and challenges of Indian Pulses.

Shri. B. L. Verma, Hon’ble Minister of State for Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food And Public Distribution, GOI said, “Over the past five years, grain production has increased from 21.1 million tons to 22.7 million tons, while consumption has grown from 22.7 million tons to 24.6 million tons. There remains an opportunity to balance this demand and supply. However, with looming water scarcity, the extensive cultivation of rice is not sustainable. Shifting focus to Pulses production could help India achieve self-reliance in this area. Farmers are receiving fair prices for Pulses, and the government has set Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) to further support them.”

He further added, “Our Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji has introduced various programs and initiatives to assist farmers. For example, before his tenure, during the UPA era under Manmohan Singh, the budget for farmers was ₹21,900 crore. Under Modi’s administration, this budget increased to ₹25,000 crore in 2014 and now stands at ₹1,52,000 crore. Additionally, through the Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, ₹3,24,000 crore has been directly transferred to nearly 11 crore farmers, with each receiving ₹2,000.”

Mr. Bimal Kothari, Chairman, India Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA) said, “Pulses production has steadily increased over the past decade. According to the Agriculture Ministry's 3rd Advance Estimate, pulses production in 2015-16 was 16.3 million tons. This has risen to 24.5 million tons in 2023-24. Over the last five years, the average production has been between 24 to 25 million tons, yet the demand is anticipated to be around 30-32 million tons. 2024 has been an exceptional year for Pulses production, particularly due to favorable South-West monsoons in states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat. If moderate rains continue into August and September, we are optimistic about surpassing last year’s production, which was impacted by heavy rainfall. We need long term vision and policy measures to sustain the availability of pulses to fulfil the demand and keep food inflation in control.”

Mr. Vijay Iyengar, President, Global Pulses Confederation said, “India, as the world's largest producer, consumer, and importer of Pulses enjoys a significant position in advancing and expanding the global Pulses trade and industry. We appreciate IPGA’s role in providing knowledge, disseminating information, encouraging dialogue and promoting transparency amongst the key stakeholders of the global pulses sector through such critical platforms.” ‎

Shri. Vijay Paul Sharma, Chairman, CACP, GOI said, “Since lentil production is highly concentrated in specific districts, any adverse weather can significantly impact the entire output. To mitigate this risk, it's crucial that we invest efforts across all states and regions to enhance productivity. We must prioritize areas where pulse production remains resilient against weather and other external factors. Pulses also offer a much higher rate of profitability for farmers compared to other crops, making it essential to focus on improving productivity and reducing cultivation costs. As pulses become more profitable with fewer inputs, farmers will naturally gravitate towards them, but we currently lack sufficient support in this area. There are three critical areas where we must concentrate our efforts. First, we need to intensify research and development to create crop varieties that are more sustainable in the face of climate change. Second, the shelf life of crops today is shorter than in the past, so we must work on enhancing the quality and sustainability of pulses and other crops to extend their shelf life. Lastly, it is vital to ensure that farmers receive competitive prices and returns for these crops, supported by stable policies to sustain this growth."

Dr. Ashok Gulati, Distinguished Professor, ICRIER, Former Chairman CACP, GOI said, “to be aatmanirbhar in the pulses sector, we need change. Government must encourage subsidies for the pulses farmers to achieve self-sufficiency in pulses. Incentives such as Rs. 35,000 per hectare to those farmers who are willing to switch from paddy production to pulses, oilseeds or even millets should be announced. Such measures will help save the state government on power subsidy and central government on fertiliser subsidy hence both governments must be aligned in the best interest of farmers and the agriculture sector.”

Over the past seven years, the Indian Pulses sector has experienced numerous short-term policy changes and reactive decisions that have negatively impacted farmers, traders, and other stakeholders in the value chain. The seminar highlighted the critical need for a liberal and long-term policy framework to overcome these bottlenecks and ensure a stable supply of Pulses to meet the rising demand. Through in-depth discussions, the event addressed these issues and developed a strategic roadmap for bolstering domestic Pulses production.

The seminar served as a comprehensive platform for discussing and strategizing the future of Pulses production in India, focusing on increasing indigenous production and bridging the demand-supply gap. A significant highlight of the event was the release of the "Handbook for Pulse Millers" by IPGA to provide vital information on India's regulatory requirements for dal mills and quality standards in dal processing. This handbook aims to enhance the efficiency and resilience of the Pulses value chain, addressing industry challenges and fostering trust within the business.

Key topics covered during the seminar included the necessity for a liberal long-term policy framework for the Pulses trade, the importance of increasing indigenous Pulses production, and strategies to ensure the availability of Pulses commensurate with the growing demand. Additionally, the discussions emphasized the inclusion and consumption of Pulses in the Indian diet, highlighting their nutritional benefits. 

IPGA is committed to leveraging the insights and discussions from the Bharat Dalhan Seminar 2024 to implement proactive measures that align with the objectives of the government, industry, and farmers. The seminar also addressed critical issues facing the pulses sector, featured a series of insightful panel discussions that paved the way for a sustainable and prosperous future for all stakeholders involved. Key topics included the "Chana and Kabuli Market Outlook," "Dal Mill Modernization & Opportunities in the Modern Storage System," the "Yellow Peas Market Outlook," and “Market outlook on Mung, Tur and Urad production of Kharif crop”, each explored in depth by industry experts, providing valuable perspectives to guide future initiatives. 

About IPGA:

India Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA), the nodal body for the pulses and grains trade and industry in India, has a pan-India reach encompassing over 10,000 direct and indirect stakeholders, including individuals, corporates, and regional Pulses Traders and Processors Associations. These stakeholders are actively involved in the farming, processing, warehousing, and import business of pulses across the entire value chain.

IPGA’s vision is to make the Indian Pulses and grains industry & trade globally competitive and in so doing, help advance India’s food and nutrition security. IPGA takes the onus of essaying a leadership role in the domestic agri-business and plays a more proactive role in the global domain to foster healthy relations among Indian market participants and between India and all associates overseas.

For more information, please visit: https://ipga.co.in/ 

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