Growth in Demand and Supply of Pulses in Karnataka — A Normative Approach

This paper has analysed the trends in area, production and productivity of pulses and has worked out the gap between demand and supply of pulses. The study has used data on major pulse crops of India for the period 1980 to 2012. Normative approach was considered for estimating the demand and supply of pulses in the past (20012011) and has been projected by the years 2020 and 2030. The study has revealed a significant growth in area, yield and production of pulses during the overall period in the study districts, state and country level, except in Bidar district. Across the pulses, greengram and blackgram have registered a higher growth in production in Gulbarga, north-east Karnataka region and country as a whole, while redgram and bengalgram have registered a higher growth in the state. The total supply of pulses has been less than demand in Karnataka as well as country as a whole. Further, the gap between demand and supply of pulses is expected to widen in future at the state and national levels. Therefore, we need to have necessary policy initiatives to increase the supply of pulses in the long-run. The country will need to focus on productivity enhancement for bridging the gap.