Pigeon pea Cultivation in Maharashtra: Price Support and Viability Issues

A critical evaluation of costs and return estimates during the last two decades showed positive and significantly high returns from pigeon pea in Maharashtra only over variable cost. However, a significant and steady increase in variable cost over time has resulted in reduced profitability from this important pulse crop. Labour and insecticide costs, in particular, have grown significantly, apart from interest on working capital. The rising variable cost has led to highly fluctuating profitability in pigeon pea cultivation. The fluctuation in profitability is also on account of fluctuations in yield of pigeon pea. These discouraging observations coupled with loss of crop during various pre-harvesting, harvesting and post harvesting operations are seen as matter of great concern, especially with respect to viability and sustainability of pigeon pea cultivation. Therefore, in order to boost cultivation of pigeon pea, there is not only a need to reduce variable cost and increase yield but also to raise MSP for this important pulse crop, apart from initiating a number of other measures like extension of pigeon pea area in the current fallow lands by increasing substantial infrastructural facilities, region specific approaches for package and practices and plant protection measures in pigeon pea dominated areas, adoption of suitable agro-techniques, replacement of non-descriptive local varieties with high yielding pest and disease resistant varieties, expansion of pigeon pea cultivation in non-conventional areas with adequate transfer of technical knowledge, development of region specific high yielding cultivars, etc. These measures will not only increase production but also raise profitability in the cultivation of pigeon pea, and, thus, making its cultivation a more viable proposition.