Lentil Production

Lentil Production

News: India is set to become the world’s largest producer of lentil (masoor) during the 2023-24 crop years on account of higher acreage.

What is Lentil?
• In India, lentils are commonly referred to as “dal” or “daal”. They are a primary source of protein, especially for vegetarians.
• Lentils used in India are Masoor (Red Lentil), Tuvar or Arhar (Pigeon Pea), Moong or Mung (Green Gram), Chana (Chickpea), Urad (Black Gram) and Val (Lima Bean)

Climatic condition and soil requirement:
• Lentils require a cold climate during their vegetative growth and a warm climate at the time of maturity.
• The ideal temperature for lentil cultivation ranges between 15°C to 25°C
•  Lentils can be cultivated on any soil from sandy loams to heavy black cotton soils, provided drainage is adequate. They thrive in well-drained, sandy loam to clayey soils.
• They can tolerate mildly acidic to slightly alkaline conditions.
• A soil pH of around 7 is ideal

Cultivation regions:
• It is cultivated widely in Europe, Asia, and North Africa.
• Major growing states in India include Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Punjab, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, etc.
• As per Food and agriculture organization, the Top global lentil growers in 2022: Canada, India, Australia, Turkey, and Russia.
• Despite being the second-largest producer, India traditionally imports from Australia, Canada, Russia, Singapore, and Turkey.