Context:
India’s lentil production set to touch all-time high
Lentils
- A small annual legume of the pea family.
- Also called Masoor
- Main varieties- Masur, Urad and Mung
- Masur is the most popular lentil variety in India
- Season – Commonly grown in Rabi season (November-April)
- Nutrition – Good source of protein, fibre and iron
- Benefits – Helps in nitrogen fixation in the soil
Lentil Production in India
- Current Status- World’s 2nd largest lentil producer
- Leading Producer- Canada
- Other important producers- Turkey, Australia and United States
- Imports- Despite being the second largest producer, India has so far been relying on imports.
- Major Exporters- Australia, Canada, Russia, Singapore, and Turkey.
- Leading States- Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Chhattisgarh
Source: The Indian Express
Previous Year Question
With reference to pulse production in India, consider the following statements:
1. Black gram can be cultivated as both kharif and rabi crops.
2. Green-gram alone accounts for nearly half of pulse production.
3. In the last three decades, while the production of kharif pulses has increased the production of rabi pulses has decreased.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2020 Prelims]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 2 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a)
Explanation:
Statement 2 is not correct. India’s pulses production is driven by chickpea and pigeon pea. Only 8 percent of the total pulse area of the country has Green Gram production.
Statement 3 is not correct. In the last three decades, the production of kharif pulses has decreased due to monsoon delay and production of rabi pulses has increased.
