Assessment of Factors Determining Supply of Pulses

The paper has assessed the factors determing the supply of pulses by selecting Karnataka purposively and four pulse crops, viz. redgram, bengalgram, greengram and blackgram. These four crops accounted for 84.48 per cent of area and 80.75 per cent of state total pulses production during 2012–13. The results of the principal component analysis have revealed that out of 20 variables, 8 variables influencing pulses production were: area under crop, variety used, fertilizers, seeds, incidence of pest and disease, market price, and rainfall during flowering. The, regression co-efficients of area, fertilizers, seeds and use of improved varieties influenced significantly the production of pulses, whereas, incidence of pests and diseases influenced negatively pulses production. To optimize the use of inputs, there is a need to educate farmers on scientific cultivation of pulses including use of weedicide, bio-fertilizers, improved tools for planting and harvesting, IPM, etc. Further, the agro-biological as well as socio-economic constraints as perceived by the farmers in production should be addressed on priority basis in the pulses-growing areas to increase production of pulses.