The Western Producer’s Sean Pratt is reporting from the 2016 Global Pulse Convention in Cesme, Turkey.
Cesme, Turkey – The first day of the 2016 Global Pulse Convention had presentations from senior officials of some of the major players in the pulse industry.
Shri Avinash Srivastava, secretary of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries in India, said poor people in India depend on pulses in their diet but there is a disincentive to growing the crop.
Pulse yields have increased by a multiple of 2.5 over the past 50 years while rice yields have gone up five times and wheat yields 15 times over that same period.
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That presents a problem because pulse consumption is on the rise in India. It is forecast to reach 24 million tonnes per year by 2020, up from 22 million tonnes in 2014-15. By 2050 it is expected to hit 39 million tonnes.
“We need to produce more in our country,” he said.
The government is taking steps to get farmers growing more pulses through a variety of production, marketing and processing initiatives.
Jesus Silveyra, under secretary of agricultural markets in Argentina, said the new government has implemented many favourable changes for farmers, such as doing away with export taxes and quotas.
Argentina is the world’s second largest exporter of white beans and a top-10 exporter of chickpeas and green peas.
He said the area planted to pulses could easily be expanded in the north of the country.
Silveyra said Argentina is open to trade with all countries after years of political interference with the previous government.
Rishad Bathiudeen, minister of industries and commerce for Sri Lanka, said the country imports about US$100 million of pulses every year, 65 percent of which are red lentils.
Lentils account for seven percent of the country’s annual food and beverage imports and that number is trending higher.
Delegates at the conference celebrated the early success of the 2016 International Year of Pulses (IYOP) campaign.
Not even halfway through the year it has already generated 300 million social media impressions and 1,325 mainstream newspaper articles.
IYOP committee members believe the campaign will lead to increased pulse demand around the world for years to come. They are already seeing new demand materialize from food manufacturers.
Gordon Bacon, chief executive officer of Pulse Canada, said the pulse industry is ready to launch its global pulse brand.
The brand can be used on products where pulses comprise at least five percent of the final weight of the product and are listed in the top-five ingredients.
The brand is designed to boost consumer awareness of pulse crops around the world and to carry on the momentum created by IYOP.
sean.pratt@producer.com
They have been growing lentils in Turkey since 7,000 BC. #westcdnag
— Sean Pratt (@sean_pratt) May 20, 2016
International year of Pulses has been a huge success so far. #westcdnag pic.twitter.com/UtHUqklUOD
— Sean Pratt (@sean_pratt) May 20, 2016
Networking in the hallway is a big part of the 2016 Global Pulse Convention. #westcdnag pic.twitter.com/jLDbMTAZQm
— Sean Pratt (@sean_pratt) May 20, 2016
First session of 2016 Global Pulse Convention about to begin. #westcdnag pic.twitter.com/BKZp55zzUz
— Sean Pratt (@sean_pratt) May 20, 2016
