Farmers are making India self-sufficient and a large producer of food grains, pulses, lentils, vegetables and fruits says Piyush Goyal
Pulses production has grown 60% in 10 years: Goyal
Bharat Dal now has 25% market share of gram lentil within 4 months of its
launch: Goyal
Government procurement of pulses increased 18 times in 10 years: Goyal
Piyush Goyal participates in NAFED Pulse 2024 Convention
Union Minister
of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Textiles and Commerce &
Industry, Piyush Goyal has expressed happiness at the rise in the production
and quality of Agriculture products to make India self-sufficient and for also
enabling export of over $50 billion of agri-related products.
Goyal said
this during his address at ‘NAFED: Pulse 2024 Convention’ organized by Global
Pulse Confederation in co-operation with co-operative major National
Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED).
Goyal thanked the farmers of India for their contribution
towards making India self-sufficient and making the country a large producer of
food grains, pulses, lentils, vegetables, fruits. He said that this has led to
expansion both in production and quality of different food products to make
India an exporter of over $50 billion of agri and related products. He said
that over the last decade due to the commitment and capabilities of the
farmers, pulses production has grown by 60% from 171 lakh tonnes in 2014 to 270
lakh tonnes in 2024.
"The partnership between NAFED and GPC will continue
to grow to make pulses not only India’s wonder-diet but to make the wonder-diet
of the world", said Shri Piyush Goyal.
Speaking on Bharat Dal, the Minister said that under the
leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi the government launched the India
pulse to support the farmers of the country and ensure the availability of
reasonably-priced pulses for Indian citizens. He said that the
government-procured chana dal retailed under the ‘Bharat’ brand has already
captured 25% of the market share of lentil gram in four months of its launch.
The Union Minister, further elaborated, that the high ratings the Bharat Dal
has received from customer reviews on various e-commerce sites demonstrates the
farmers’ ability to produce high-quality pulses and with the support of the
government can become the affordable food for the common man. Shri Goyal also
said that over the last decade government procurement of pulses has increased
by 18 times.
Goyal noted that in 2015 the government introduced buffer
stock to ensure moderate prices and price stability shielding the consumers
from the food inflation that hit many countries including the developed world
reeling with a 40-year high of inflation. “India was the bright spot with among
the lowest inflation rates and has been able to reign in double digit inflation
to 5-5.5% in the last decade”, he said.
On
Minimum Support Price (MSP), Goyal said that MSP today assures a price 50% over
the actual cost of production to our farmers, thereby providing an attractive
return on investment. The Union Minister also said that the MSP is the highest
today with increases as high as 117% in Masoor, 90% in Moong, 75% more in chana
dal, 60% more in Toor and Urad over the amount provided a decade back.
Goyal further
said that NAFED and NCCF are encouraging farmers to diversify into pulses and
lentils and are willing to provide assured prices for 5-year contracts for
government procurement, a massive step for the Government of India.
Goyal
also stated that India is the largest producer and 5th largest exporter of
millets in the world and the government is also putting similar focus on pulses
and lentils as with millets and urged the industry leaders in attendance to
provide suggestions and guidance to improve productivity and grow the pulse
industry.