Pulses scenario in India and Haryana
The compound growth rates (CGRs) showed positive trend in respect of area, production and yield of pulses in India with 0.14, 1.09 and 0.97 per cent, respectively for the period 1970-71 to 2016-17 (Table 1). The coefficient of variation (CV) of pulses remained 6.45, 20.18 and 15.33 for area, production and yield, respectively. In Haryana, the CGRs calculated for pulses was found to be -5.56, -4.51 and 0.64 per cent, respectively for area, production and yield, exhibited declining trend in area and production and marginal increase in yield.
In 2004-05, a total of 176.20 thousand ha area was cropped under pulses out of which a total of 134.90 thousand tonnes of pulses was produced. After analysis, it was observed that since 2004-05, there was much fluctuation in area cropped under pulses. The maximum impact was in the year 2013-14, which shows the growth of the area under pulses was 39.84 per cent from the previous year and in the year 2012-13 the area was decreased up to 38.28 per cent from the area of previous year. In the similar way, the higher positive change in production of the total pulses was recorded in the year 2012-13 and highest negative change in 2013-14, which showed 175 per cent growth and 68.21 per cent decline in the production of pulses, respectively (Fig 1). The decline in area and production of pulses particularly in the years 2012-13 and 2013-14 owing to long dry spell as pulses are mainly cultivated in rainfed conditions.
Status of chickpea production in India and Haryana
Chickpea is a major pulse crop in India accounting about 40 per cent of the total area and production of pulses. From an area of 5.19 million ha, the production of chickpea was 3.86 million tonnes with steady growth up to 2017-18
i.e. 11.23 million tonnes production from 10.57 million ha of area. In 2004-05, chickpea contributed 67 per cent in production and 61 per cent in area of the total pulses; however, the share remained only 32 per cent in production and 57 per cent in area during 2017-18 in Haryana as area under mungbean increased over the years. Fig 2 indicates the per cent change in area and production of chickpea in Haryana.
Cost and return analysis of chickpea
The cost analysis of India and Haryana as presented in Tables 2 and 3 reveals that the total cost (Cost C
2) worked out to Rs. 36036/ ha and Rs. 39207/ha; Cost A
1 contributed to Rs. 18365/ha (51%) and Rs. 13852/ha (35%), respectively for the period 2014-15 to 2016-17 (X-IV). In India, out of Cost C
2, seed constituted 13 per cent followed by hired human labour (12%), mechanical hired labour (10%), fertilizers and manures (5%), irrigation (3%) and plant protection (2%) and in Haryana hired human labour constituted 15 per cent followed by mechanical hired labour (7%), seed (6.9%), irrigation charges (1.5%) and plant protection (0.5%). The yield of chickpea obtained was found to be 1050 kg/ha and 1090 kg/ha, where the per quintal cost of production worked out to Rs.3499/ha and Rs. 3514/ha against minimum support price (MSP) of Rs. 3650 and Rs.3233/quintal for India and Haryana, respectively.
As per analysis, in overall India, Cost C
2 for the period X-I, X-II, X-III and X-IV worked out to Rs.12163, Rs. 17402, Rs.27544 and Rs.36036, respectively. The yield varied from 8.2 quintal/ha in X-I (2010-11 to 212-13) to 10.5 quintal/ha in X-IV (2014-15 to 2016-17). In Haryana, Cost C
2 for the period X-I, X-II, X-III and X-IV worked out to Rs.9241, Rs. 13823, Rs.25618 and Rs.36036, respectively and the yield ranged from 4.8 quintal/ha in X-I (2010-11 to 212-13) to 10.9 quintal/ha in X-IV (2014-15 to 2016-17).
Table 4 revealed that the gross cost incurred on chickpea cultivation was higher in Haryana (Rs. 31287/-) than that of in India (Rs.30918/-) during 2014-15 to 2016-17 (X-IV). During the same period, the contribution of variable and fixed cost to the gross cost was 59:41 and 44:56, respectively for India and Haryana. Fig 3 indicates the variable cost vs. fixed cost vs. gross cost for chickpea cultivation in India and Haryana. The gross cost for cultivation of chickpea during period X-IV increased by four times in Haryana but it remained twice in India than that of period X-I. Similarly, the net profit displayed three times increase in India but in Haryana, it has been recorded seven times. The net profit worked out was Rs. 25410 and Rs. 34199/ha, respectively in India and Haryana during 2014-15 to 2016-17 (Fig 4).
Benefit:cost ratio and other economic indicators
The benefit:cost (B:C) ratio for the cultivation of chickpea was worked out from 2004-05 to 2016-17 by taking mean of three consecutive years
i.e. X-I, X-II, X-III and X-IV. The economic analysis showed that B:C ratio was found more in Haryana than India. Table 5 indicates the various economic indicators for chickpea cultivation in India as well as Haryana. It specifies the operational cost ratio, fixed cost ratio, gross cost ratio, input-output ratio and benefit:cost ratio in per cent. The higher B:C ratio for chickpea cultivation was found in the period X-IV (2014-15 to 2016-17)
i.e. 1.82 and 2.09, respectively for India and Haryana indicating higher profitability. Fig 5 presents the benefit:cost ratio of chickpea cultivation in India vis-à-vis Haryana.
Constraints in chickpea production
The production of chickpea especially in rainfed rice fallow lands is affected a number of technical constraints which cause pre and post-harvest losses in chickpea. In abiotic constraints, low moisture content in the soil after rice harvest, low and depleting water table due to over exploitation of ground water for production of water intensive crops such as wheat, mustard and vegetables. In biotic constraints, most of the chickpea varieties are subjected to heavy losses due to attack by insect-pests, diseases, stray animals and birds. Maximum economic losses were caused by pests like
Helicoverpa Bruchid and wilt/collar rot diseases
(Pande et al., 2012). The available data demonstrates the diminishing trend in area and production of total pulses especially in Haryana.
Kumar et al., (2018) reported that out of 90 chickpea cultivators, 66.39 per cent farmers had inadequate knowledge of recommended packages and practices, 64.49 per cent reported unfavourable weather condition, followed by insufficient quality water for irrigation, lack of knowledge of latest production technology, upset due to low productivity, non-availability of HYVs seed, inadequate credit, shortage of labour and poor quality of land to the tune of 60.71, 55.53, 44.46, 37.95, 36.76, 22.04 and 18.74 per cent, respectively.