MUMBAI (Commoditiescontrol) - Chickpea (Cicer arietinum) generally known as “Chana”/ “Gram” or “Bengal Gram” in India is an important leguminous food grain. India is the largest producer of chickpea with about 63% of the total area under chickpea production lying in India. Chickpea is a highly nutritious grain legume crop. Chickpea/ Bengal gram is widely appreciated as health food. It is a protein-rich supplement to cereal-based diets, especially to the poor in developing countries, where people are vegetarians or cannot afford animal protein.
In India pulses are cultivated on marginal lands under rain fed conditions. Only around 15% of the area under pulses has assured irrigation. Because of the high level of fluctuations in pulse production (due to biotic and abiotic stress) and prices (in the absence of an effective government price support mechanism) farmers are not very keen on taking up pulse cultivation despite high wholesale pulse prices in recent years. Farmers are getting attracted towards cash crops like maize and oilseeds (mainly soybeans) because of better return and lower risk.
India is the major chickpea (Gram/ Chana) producing country, while chickpea is basically grown in the dried region of India. The major chickpea (Gram/ Chana) producing states of India are Madhya Pradesh, followed by Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh & Karnataka.
State-wise share to Chickpea Production and Its sowing & harvesting period:
India, as a major Chickpea producing country, highest production has been received from Madhya Pradesh by 39%, and followed by Maharashtra (14%), Rajasthan (14%), Andhra Pradesh (10%), Uttar Pradesh (7%), Karnataka (6%) and other remaining states & UTs of India (10%)
(Production share calculation has been done for the 10 years average i.e. 2005-2014-DES, MoA) (Figure1). In India the sowing and harvesting period of chickpea differs from state to state.
In Madhya Pradesh, the basic sowing period of the crop starts in from 15th of October to till 15th of November. Accordingly, the harvesting period of the crops starts after it achieves the maturity period, generally after 110-125 days of crop sowing period.
In Maharashtra farmers starts sowing period of the crop from last week of October to till last week of December (after the harvesting period of soybean, farmers sow chickpea/ Bengal gram in the same land). Accordingly, the harvesting period of the crops starts after it achieves the maturity period, generally after 105-110 days of crop sowing period.
In Rajasthan farmer cultivates two types of chickpea, one is early variety and the other is late variety. The sowing period for both the variety is different, early variety showing period starts from last week of October to till last week of November and again sowing period for late variety starts from last week of November to till last week of December. Basically the maturity period of Chickpea is 120 -130 days, accordingly harvesting time period also varies for the both varieties. The harvesting period of the early varieties starts from 3rd week of March to till last week of March and harvesting period for late variety starts from 3rd week of April to last week of April.
Further the basic sowing period of the crop in Andhra Pradesh & Telangana is whole month of October and sometimes it goes till 1st week of November, depending on the weather condition. Accordingly, the harvesting period of the crop starts after it achieves the maturity period, generally after 100-105 days of crop sowing period.
In the state of Uttar Pradesh the basic sowing period of the crop in Uttar Pradesh is 15th of October to till 15th of November, depending on the level of moisture content in the soil. Accordingly, the harvesting period of the crop starts after it achieves the maturity period, generally after 110-120 days of crop sowing date.
Lastly, the basic sowing period of the crop in Karnataka is 1st week of October to till 1st week of November, depending on the level of moisture content in the soil. Accordingly, the harvesting period of the crop starts after it achieves the maturity period, generally after 110-120 days of crop sowing date.
Trade Scenario of Chickpea in India: Over the Years
India imported about 4 lakh MT of chickpea during 2014-15. Although based on current assessment of upcoming chickpea pulse production for 2015-16 has likely to fall as compared to the previous season and due to a likely shortfall in chickpea pulse production, imports are expected to increase marginally during 2015-16.
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Source: http://agriexchange.apeda.gov.in/importtoindia/reportlist.aspx, 2016
From the above figure 2 it has been observed that import of in 2013 has showing a declining trend. But again, chickpea imports has been sowing an increasing trend from 2014-15 to till 2015-16 (April to November), because of the increasing level of gram demand and shortfall of domestic production in the country. Again, export of the crop is sowing a downfall trend from 2013-14 to 2015-16. The figure clearly depicts a wide gap between Import and Export of chickpea in India.
Survey Method for the Production Estimation of Chickpea
To estimate Bengal gram/ chickpea production for the upcoming season (2015-16) of Karnataka, we (CommoditiesControl.com) have conducted a short telephonic survey among the various traders, agro-processing companies, districts concern KVK (Krishi Vigyan Kendra) scientist’s and few farmers of the different districts on the basis of purposive random sampling method. The basic concern about our interviews was, increase/ decrease in area under Bengal gram/ chickpea cultivation as previous years, sowing and harvesting period of the crop, weather condition during the overall crop growing season, irrigation facility, incidence of pest attacks, crop cutting experience and expected yield rate for the upcoming season 2015-16. The estimated production of Bengal gram/ chickpea has been prepared to get an idea about the future situation of domestic as well as global market for this Pulse.
Estimated Chickpea Production in All India for 2015-16:
With the help of our survey, we have prepared the following Table 1. From the following table it has been observed that, All India Chickpea production for the upcoming season i.e. 2015-16 is likely drop down by approximately 16% as compared to the previous season. Majority of states are likely to face the shortfall of chickpea production due to the unfavorable weather condition; Most of the major chickpea/ Bengal gram producing states like MP, Maharashtra, AP & Telangana, UP and Karnataka will mostly face the shortfall of chickpea production in the upcoming season, therefore this factor will pull down the overall chickpea production in India. Last year, country produces almost 70 lakh tonnes of chickpea, but in this season (2015-16) countries total chickpea production may possibly reach to only 59 lakh tonnes, as a result the country will face 11 lakh tonnes of shortfall of chickpea production as compared to the previous season.
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1) In the state of Madhya Pradesh, overall area under chickpea cultivation has reduced by 6%, and the expected production for 2015-16 is likely to shortfall drastically by 20% due to the drop down in expected yield rate by approximately 15%.
According to some of our interviewed person, due to the dry spell there was less moisture in the soil during sowing time, therefore the area under chickpea crop has been declined in this season, and again in most of the chickpea growing season overall weather condition during the crop growing stage was not supportive. Therefore, expected chickpea yield rate is likely to shortfall; results there will be decline in upcoming overall state chickpea production as compared to the previous season 2014-15.
2) Again in Maharashtra, area under chickpea has dropped by approximately 8%, simultaneously chickpea production for the upcoming season i.e.2015-16 is also expected to decrease almost 27%. This situation will occur due to shortfall in expected yield rate by 20.6% in the upcoming season 2015-16 as compared to the previous season 2014-15. During our survey, some of the interviewed person put forward their expressions regarding the upcoming chickpea production in the state and said that mostly the Vidarbha region of the state has suffered by delay of monsoon, moisture stress, deficient rainfall and water scarcity for irrigation. Therefore yield rate for the upcoming season is expected to shortfall due to in this region and this will led to increase in overall state production.
3) In the state of Rajasthan, the overall area under chickpea cultivation has shortfall by 9%, but the expected production for 2015-16 is likely to increase by 3.64% due to the increase in expected yield rate by 18.97 %. According to some of our interviewed person, due to the dry spell there was less moisture in the soil during sowing time, therefore the area under chickpea crop has been decline in this season, but the overall weather condition during the crop growing stage was quite supportive and there were very less incidence of pest/disease attacks. Therefore, if the weather supports till harvesting period then the expected chickpea yield rate likely to increase results there will be increase in upcoming overall state chickpea production as compared to the previous season 2014-15.
4) Again in the AP & Telangana, the upcoming season (2015-16) estimated chickpea production is likely to shortfall by approximately 3%, as compared to the previous season. From the survey it has been found that, despite of increases in chickpea area by 32 %, the state’s overall production will decrease due to low productivity of chickpea. From our survey it has been that most part of the states is facing continuous drought from 2.5 years therefore KVK scientist and the government encouraged farmers to shift paddy area to chickpea so that at least they can cover the risk and can get some amount of income, therefore the chickpea area has been almost doubled in this year over last year. But due to very high temperature and poor winter the crop could not able to achieve its potential growth rate; result will be very low crop productivity.
5) In the Uttar Pradesh, major chickpea producing districts like Banda, Hamirpur, Jhansi, Jalaun, Lalitpur, Mahoba and Chitrakoot of fall under the Bundelkhand region; these districts are the major chickpea producing district and they share approximately 55% to the total state chickpea production. But, these districts are suffering from continuous dry spell, erratic rainfall and loss of soil moisture which has been adversely effecting the agriculture production. In this season due to the drought like situation in these districts, area under chickpea has been fall down, this will leads to the downfall trend of states overall chickpea production.
Last year, this state produces almost 4.07 lakh tonnes of chickpea, but in this season (2015-16) states total chickpea production may possibly reach to only 2.98 lakh tonnes, as a result the state will face 1.10 lakh tonnes of shortfall of chickpea production as compared to the previous season.
6) Lastly in Karnataka, along with the other state the intervention of National Food Security Mission (NFSM), there has been more concentration given for pulses including Bengal gram growing in the state. But due to the unfavorable weather condition, like deficient in normal rainfall, long term dry spell has adversely affected the crop productivity and this leads to the shortfall in overall district Chana production.
It has been observed from the above table 1 that the upcoming season estimated production of chickpea will probably reduce by almost 11% as compared to the earlier season, in the state the overall weather condition was not favorable and therefore despite of increases in area under Bengal gram / chickpea cultivation the production will fall in the upcoming season. From our study it has been found that the crop suffered by moisture stress during the crop growing period due to no rainfall in Rabi season (disease-pest was there but it was under control), therefore in this year the farmers will face loss of Bengal gram/ chickpea yield as compared to the previous season.
(By Commoditiescontrol Bureau; +91-22-40015561)
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