MULTAN: The use of low quality seed is a major cause of decline in production of pulses in the country as huge amount of Rs 102 billions is being spent annually to import the commodity.
Apart from this, selection of marginal soil (less fertile-deserts), lack of mechanization, water shortage and poor marketing system are also some important factors, damaging pulse sector, this was stated by Director Arid Zone Research Institute (AZRI) Bhakkar, while talking to APP here on Sunday.
Pulses are grown at an area of 3.2 million hectares in the country but the major area is less fertile, he informed. The country faced shortage of  275,000 tonnes of chickpea, 66,000 tonnes moungbean, 166,000 tonnes mash and 160,000 tonnes of lentil pulse annually. Pakistan used to import these pulses, largely from Australia and Canada, Dr Khalid stated.
About per acre production of pulses in the country, the expert informed that Pakistan was achieving 200 kilogramme per acre while Australia was getting 1400 kilograms. About reason behind extremely low production, Dr Khalid said that the country was faced with the issue of seed quality. The funding on research on pulses were meagre, he said hinted that Pakistan was spending huge amount Rs 102 billions on import of pulses annually.
To a query that how can Pakistan promote pulses, he recommended, that they have to work on availability of quality seed, selection of fertile land and improvement in marketing system to invite farmers attention towards production of pulses.
About marketing, another expert on pulses Dr Ammar from Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture observed that they should delay pulses imports and wait for arrival of indigenous pulses because it would offer handsome price to our farmers. “We would be focusing on protein rich pulses,” he remarked.
When questioned about pulses consumption in the country, he stated that consumption of pulses is on the rise. The growing population is an important factor behind the increase in consumption of pulses.
To a query how can they improve pulses production, Dr Ammar suggested that pulse crop zones should be fixed. Similarly, quality seeds, agricultural mechanization, and provision of sprinkle system especially in Thal area could help getting bumper production and save huge amounts, being spent on import of cotton.
