SUSTAINABILITY OF SLOW GROWTH FOODGRAIN CROPS IN MAHARASHTRA: ISSUES AND OPTIONS

Although the Government has introduced a number of crop-oriented schemes to improve the output of various slow growth foodgrain crops such as pulses and coarse cereals, the success of these schemes will largely depend on the extent of adoption as the farmers grow these crops on poor and unirrigated land with generally low levels of inputs like fertilizers, pesticides, etc. Further, it is to be noted that pulse crops are more susceptible to pests and diseases than the cereal crops and, therefore, involve high risk. However, a recent study has suggested a number of strategies to further increase pulses output in Maharashtra. These strategies mainly revolve around protective irrigation, soil fertility management, improved crop production technique, plant protection measures, and diversification of cropping pattern. However, these strategies have not yielded the desired results so far as pulses and coarse cereal production in the country are concerned.