Silent Chickpea Revolution in Non-Traditional Areas - Some Evidences from Andhra Pradesh

Traditionally, chickpea was not a prominent pulse crop in the hot and dry climate regions. However, this region now contributes more than 70 per cent of the total chickpea production in India, and shows enormous potential for further expansion. The typical characteristics of hot and dry climate pose a major production constraint caused due to severe drought and heat. In addition, the principal biotic constraints, which limit chickpea production in this environment are wilt and root rots among major diseases; and pod borer and leaf minor among insects (Ali et aI., 1997). Although the status and intensity of abiotic and biotic constraints over the years have remained unchanged, chickpea area in this non-traditional region has substantially increased since 1990. A swift change of chickpea area in hot and dry climate has raised a logical question on its sources of area expansion, and reasons thereof. The present study is an attempt to unravel this riddle with the following specific objectives: (i) to assess the growth performance of chickpea area, production and yield in hot and dry climate regions, (ii) determine the sources of chickpea area expansion, and (iii) examine the role of policy and technology (improved varieties) on area shift in favour of chickpea. The study postulated two hypotheses: (i) rabi fallow and marginal lands released substantial area for chickpea: cultivation, and (ii) availability of improved technology (e.g., new varieties) facilitated area expansi'on of chickpea

P K Joshi, M Asokan, M C S Bantilan, 'Silent Chickpea Revolution in Non-Traditional Areas - Some Evidences from Andhra Pradesh', Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics, vol. 54(4), pp.533-544, The Indian Society of Agricultural Economics, 2012