Growth and Acreage Response of Pigeonpea in Maharashtra

Pigeonpea plays an important role in mixed and inter-cropping and maintaining soil fertility. Maharashtra is major area of pigeonpea and in top five pulses producing states in India. This study covers the changes in area, production and productivity and acreage response of pigeonpea during pre and post Technology Mission on Pulses. Region wise and district level secondary data were used. The study period was divided into period-I (Pre TMOP) from 1969-70 to 1990-91, period-II (post TMOP) from 1991-92 to 2012-13 and period-III from 1969-70 to 2012-13 (entire period). The result showed that production of pigeonpea has been tripled in Maharashtra during the period 44 year and showed increasing trend, As regards the area of pigeonpea, it had increased by 258.46 per cent during the period of 44 years since 1969. The productivity of pigeonpea has shown increasing trend in Maharashtra. The production increase was brought about by both area expansion and productivity improvement. The significant increase in growth rate of the acreage, production and productivity of pigeonpea was noticed at the state level during the period from 1969 to 2013. During pre-TMOP period, the area, production and productivity of pigeonpea were significant and increased at the rate of 2.21, 3.74 and 1.49 per cent per annum, respectively in the state and significantly highest increase in growth rate of production of pigeonpea was noticed in Marathwada (4.72) regions, while in post- TMOP period the area, production and productivity of pigeonpea was significant and increased at the rate of 0.77, 3.01 and 2.21 per cent per annum respectively at state level. The factor such as lagged price and lagged acreage of pigeonpea, pre sowing period rainfall, current acreage of cotton was observed to play a major vital role in influencing pigeonpea acreage.