Opportunities for Chickpea Production in Rainfed Rice Fallows of India. Baseline Survey Report

Abstract

The study explored opportunities and constraints of chickpea production by introducing it as a
\nsecond crop in rainfed rice-fallow lands (RRFL) of Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh states of
\nIndia. About 12 million ha of rainfed rice lands in India remains uncultivated in the postrainy
\nseason (rabi), of which 40% lies in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The RRFL offers significant
\nopportunities for the intensification of agricultural production in these states. Chickpea is one of
\nthe important pulses that can be successfully grown in RRFL on residual moisture, and can
\nescape terminal drought. It provides sufficient scope for augmenting employment opportunities
\nand income of the farming community. Inadequate irrigation facilities coupled with low residual
\nsoil moisture is the main limiting factor to utilization of RRFL for crop production in rabi. Drought
\nalone may reduce crop yield by 50%. A quantum jump in productivity can be achieved by applying
\nlife-saving irrigation especially in rabi pulses grown on residual moisture. Extraction and use of
\nground and surface water for irrigation is difficult and costly. Private investment in irrigation has
\nits limitations because most of the farmers are resource-poor and practice subsistence farming.
\nThe creation of public irrigation infrastructure also requires huge investment and social cost. The
\nlack of basic infrastructure to promote agriculture is another important constraint. Value addition
\nin agriculture is low due to lack of primary agro-processing facilities and agricultural markets in
\nthe villages. Agricultural markets are generally far from the villages. The average distance of the
\nmarkets from the selected villages varied from 10 to 27 km in Chhattisgarh and 10 to 24 km in
\nMadhya Pradesh. The price of chickpea is another important determinant. About 85 to 98% of
\nthe farmers cited the low price of chickpea as an important reason for their reluctance to cultivate
\nthe crop. Farmers often are constrained to take any price that is being offered to them because
\nthey lack sufficient surplus to influence the market. Moreover, the prices in the local markets keep
\nfluctuating and even remain below the statuary prices due to lack of marketing facilities, such as
\nprocurement by the Government agencies, cooperatives etc. Low demand in the local markets
\nis another important reason for the low adoption of chickpea or other rabi pulses for production
\nin RRFL. It exists due to the difference between the consumption and production preferences for
\nthe pulses in the selected regions. Other pulses are often grown due to the low opportunity costs
\nof the fallow lands...