~ 2784 ~ Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry 2018; 7(4): 2784-2787 E-ISSN: 2278-4136 P-ISSN: 2349-8234 JPP 2018; 7(4): 2784-2787 Received: 11-05-2018 Accepted: 15-06-2018 Bondar US Senior Research Assistant, Department of Agril. Economics, MPKV, Rahuri, Maharashtra, India Mohalkar SS Junior Research Assistant, Department of Agril. Economics, MPKV, Rahuri, Maharashtra, India Shrote RV Junior Research Assistant, Department of Agril. Economics, MPKV, Rahuri, Maharashtra, India Correspondence Bondar US Senior Research Assistant, Department of Agril. Economics, MPKV, Rahuri, Maharashtra, India Production performance of chickpea in Maharashtra Bondar US, Mohalkar SS and Shrote RV Abstract Pulses are the second most important food crops after cereals. Maharashtra is major producer of chickpea and in top five pulses producing states in India. This study covers the changes in area, production and productivity of chickpea during pre and post Technology Mission on Pulses. District and region wise as well as state 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, the area and production of chickpea has been tripled in Maharashtra during the period 44 year and showed increasing trend, As regards the production of chickpea, it had increased by 874.03 per cent during the period of 44 years since 1969. The productivity of chickpea has shown increasing trend in Maharashtra. The area, production and productivity of chickpea at state level had statically significant and increased at the rate of 3.32, 6.01 and 2.61 per cent per annum, respectively for the entire period of 44 years. 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 chickpea was noticed in all regions and at the state level during the period from 1969 to 2013. During pre-TMOP period, the area, production and productivity of chickpea were significant and increased at the rate of 2.84, 5.62 and 2.71 per cent per annum, respectively in the state and significantly highest increase in growth rate of production of chickpea was noticed in Western Maharashtra region (7.21) followed by Vidarbha (6.00) and Marathwada (3.67) regions, while in post-TMOP period the area, production and productivity of chickpea was significant and increased at the rate of 4.09, 6.44 and 2.26 per cent per annum respectively at state level. Keywords: production performance, TMOP, ACGR, chickpea Introduction The potential of pulses to help address future global security, nutrition and environmental sustainability needs has been acknowledged through the UN declaration of the 2016 International Year of Pulses. Pulses are a Smart Food as these are critical for food basket (dal- roti, dal-chawal), important source of plant protein and help address obesity, diabetes etc. In addition pulses are highly water efficient, can grow in drought prone areas and improve soil fertility by fixing soil nitrogen. In the world, pulses are grown by 171 countries. At triennium ending 2012-13, the total area under pulses was 72.3 million hectare. This area provided about 64.40 million tonnes of pulses with a productivity 890 kg ha -1 , and major exporting countries is Canda, China, Austrila, USA, and importing countries are India, China, USA, Egypt, Pakistan.(FAO, STAT- 2014) India is largest produce and consumer of pulses in the world, for the triennium ending 2012- 13, the total area under pulses was 23.90 million hectare. This area provided about 16.58 million tonnes of pulses with productivity 694 kg ha -1 , the production of pulses has fluctuated between 11.82 million tonnes in 1970-71 and 14.26 million tonnes in 1990-91. It was 18.34 million tons in 2012-13 with average productivity is 789 kgha -1 , in area with 23.26 million hectare. The domestic consumption of pulses in India was 21.74 million tonnes. Against this, India produces an average of 18.34 million tonnes during this period, there was a gap of 3.40 million tonnes of pulses in demand and supply, but over the years, the productivity has remained quite at low web as compared to other countries. (Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Govt. of India). The major producer of chickpea in the country are Madhya Pradesh which account 43.16% of India’s production followed by Rajasthan (14.46), Maharashtra (9.67), Andhra Pradesh (8.63) and Karnataka (7.05). These five states together accounting more than 80 per cent of total chickpea production in the country. Maharashtra ranks third position in area and production of chickpea in India with 13.14 per cent of area and 9.67 per cent production contribution.