Policy contradiction undermines India's pulse production mission
India's pulse mission faces a fundamental policy tension: efforts to control retail prices through market interventions may conflict with the six-year strategy to boost domestic supply via farmer-level incentives.
The contradiction centres on price-discovery mechanisms. When retail prices spike, policy responses often suppress market infrastructure meant to signal fair prices to farmers. This creates disincentive for production even as the government aims to expand domestic pulse cultivation.
Experts argue that sustainable price stability requires strengthened domestic supply, not repeated market interventions that discourage farmers from investing in pulse farming.
