At the Mumbai stock exchange there is only one existing “Futures” contract for a grain legume: “chana” (a type of chickpea). But volumes are so small that this trade is very easy to distort, and its price volatility is extreme.
Yet, all pulses, lentils, chickpeas, split peas and pigeonpea are traded globally in increasing volumes. One reason is that the consumption of the main importing country (India) is growing steadily by 5% per year. Because of its richness in protein, pulses are important to the largely vegetarian population. But Indian agriculture cannot supply enough for its domestic market because the national production is stagnating. India therefore, has to import more and more grain legumes – some 3 to 4 million tons out of the 9 million consumed each year. The main suppliers are Australia, Canada, Russia, Burma but also, increasingly, Africa. Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania. Exports of pulses from these countries into India are expected to grow by 20% again this year. In a few years, Africa will be the leading supplier of pigeonpea to India!
The time of grain legumes being neglected because they were primarily a subsistence crop is over. Today, they arouse the interest of researchers. At the end of last year, the pigeonpea genome was decoded. This opens new ways to improve pigeonpea varieties. In particular to improve their yields, which are low compared to wheat and rice. In the past that is one reason why Indian farmers have neglected these crops – especially in New Delhi where cereals are subsidized.
But the revival of grain legumes is happening. Thanks to research programs such as “Tropical Legumes 2” (joint initiative of Gates Foundation and research institutes of tropical agriculture ICRISAT, CIAT and IITA) it is happening in tropical regions of Africa and Asia. These grain legumes do not need much water; moreover these plants nourish soils in nitrogen.
The above text was taken from a translation of “Le poids croissant des légumes secs dans le commerce alimentaire mondial” – an article that appeared recently on the French radio station RFI about the increasing importance of pulses in the world food market
For more information
Listen to the audio (French only) from the Radio France International special program on the increasing importance of grain legumes for food security.
Download and read PDF Tropical Legumes II, Profiles of Progress (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)