ISLAMABAD: With a rapid increase in global food needs on the horizon, the role of pulses has become even more significant particularly with regard to dietary protein and micronutrients.

To enhance awareness of the nutrient benefits of eating pulses, the first observance of ‘World Pulses Day’ will take place on Sunday as proclaimed by the United Nations (UN) last month.

Pulses are more than just nutritious seeds. They contribute to sustainable food systems and a ‘zero-hunger’ world, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Supply of meat is not keeping pace with population growth and therefore production of pulses is required, report says

Consumption of protein is essential to maintain the health and vigour of people and pulses are the most important source of protein in Pakistan. The supply of meat is not keeping pace with the population growth and therefore the production of pulses is required, according to a report on the ‘Status of pulses in Pakistan’ which was presented to an international forum recently.

The production of pulses in Pakistan is stagnant and disturbing the nutritional balance of the population, especially of poor and weaker sections of society which cannot afford other expensive sources of proteins.

The major supply of food legumes depend on the production of chickpeas and mung beans. Failure of these crops results in a pulse debacle in the country. One of the main reasons for stagnation in production of pulses is inadequate investment resulting in non-adoption of the full package of improved production technology by farmers.

The report said mash was the least researched crop among pulses despite its high nutritive and economic value and as a result its area and production decreased continuously.

A working paper issued by the Ministry of National Food Security and Research says that the target for mash crop production could not be achieved during the 2018-19 season. Mash is one of the important kharif pulses in Pakistan and Punjab is the major contributor to its production.

The target for areas under mash was fixed at 21.9 thousand hectares and production estimated at 11.3 thousand tons and yield at 515kg per hectare. The target could not be achieved and the decrease was attributed to unavailability of high yielding varieties, lack of weeds control and mechanisation.

Mung is another important kharif pulses crop and grown on a large scale after chickpea. In the 2018-19 season, countrywide crop production was good and due to favouable weather conditions, the production target of 120.60 thousand tons was achieved.

Gram is the largest rabi pulse crop, accounting for 71.4 per cent of the total production of pulses in the country and it occupies about 81.6pc of the major pulse cropped area.

In 2018-19, gram was grown on 935.5 thousand hectares with a total production of 357.8 thousand tons.

Punjab produces more than 80pc of overall production. Gram is grown mainly in Thal area and contributes about 80pc of overall production in the country.

The import of pulses has increased tremendously and in 2017-18 fiscal year the import was 898 thousand tons worth Rs62 billion. In 2018-19, import of pulses exceeded 433 thousand tons with Rs39 billion in the first half of the year.

The ministry paper suggests that pulses production, especially gram and lentil, can be increased in Pakistan by provision of good quality, high-yielding certified varieties of seed to the farmers through a subsidised programme at national level.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2019