Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has demanded establishing a National level Pulse Research Institute or a branch of the Indian Institute of Pulses Research (IIPR), Kanpur, in Odisha to boost production of pulses.
In a letter to Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Radha Mohan Singh on Saturday, Patnaik underscored the need for increasing the production of various pulses in Odisha keeping in view various suitable conditions.
Patnaik said that in Odisha, pulses are grown in about 20.88 lakh hectares; 6.86 lakh hectares in Kharif and 14.02 lakh hectares in Rabi, which is higher than most States in India.
The State has about 16 lakh hectares of suitable land which can be easily utilized for cultivation of pulses during Rabi season. Mung, Urd, Arhar, Kulthi, Gram, Cowpea, Field pea and lentil are some of the major pulses grown in the State. The seed replacement rate of pulses is generally low due to non-availability of suitable cold tolerant varieties in the State as pulses are grown in large areas during winter season, the letter mentioned.
Many indigenous local varieties of pulses, suitable to these climatic conditions, are being used but the yield potential of these varieties is below the national average. There is a need for research on pulses in the State for development of suitable varieties in the State to enhance the income of the farmers, Patnaik opined, adding that the State has taken several steps to bridge the yield gap in pulses like inviting various national and international institutes to develop suitable location specific new varieties for the State. Besides, MoUs have been signed with ICRISAT and NSC for taking up seed production within the State, he said.