Nepal maintains sixth place in world lentil output: FAO

NEPAL has retained its position as the world’s sixth largest producers of lentils in 2012 after it logged 0.64 percent rise in production to 208,201 tonnes, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. The FAO statistics show that Nepal’s production accounted for 4.57 percent of the world’s lentils in 2012. In terms of production, Nepal is behind Canada, India, Australia, Turkey and the US. The world lentils output grew by 3.32 percent to 4.55 million tonnes in 2012. Meanwhile, the area under lentil cultivation rose to 207,630 hectares last year from 207,591 hectares in 2011. It was cultivated in 187,437 hectares of land in 2010. Despite the increase in production, Nepal’s lentil export has fallen significantly and its price has gone up. The Trade and Export Promotion Centre (TEPC) statistics show that lentil export in the first 11 months (mid-July to mid-June) of 2012-13 dropped by 24.55 percent to 21,209 tonnes year on year. According to the TEPC statistics, the lentil price on an average rose to 121 per kg in 2012-13, against Rs 77 per kg in 2011-12. Nepal exported lentils worth Rs 2.57 billion in the first eleven months of the last fiscal year as compared to 33,151 tonnes worth Rs 2.67 billion it had exported in 2011-12. Bangladesh alone procured 29,579 tonnes of lentils worth Rs 2.45 billion while exports to India stood at Rs 193 million. Bangladesh is the largest buyer of Nepali lentils followed by India, Singapore, the UAE, and Bahrain. In 2008-09, Nepal made a record high lentil export of 56,767 tonnes worth Rs 5.66 billion. Lentils is among Nepal’s top 10 export commodities. Lentil traders and importers said spiralling price in the international market coupled with supply crunch as a major reason behind the rise in price of Nepali lentils. They warned of further rise in the lentil price because of the growing market demand. “Nepali traders are unable to fulfill lentil demand in Bangladesh,” said Ajay Parajuli, executive secretary at the Association of Nepalese Rice, Oil and Pulses Industry. “Although 80 percent of the total lentils produced in Nepal are exported, the existing output is too low to meet the international demand.” Lentils are produced in all the districts in the country except Manang and Mustang. Commercial production, however, is concentrated in the Tarai. More than 90 percent of lentil is grown in the region because of its favourable climatic and soil conditions. Masoor— with brown skin and orange gain—is the common variety grown in Nepal. TOP 10 LENTIL PRODUCERS IN 2012 Country 2011 (in tonnes) 2012 (in tonnes) Canada 1,531,900 1,493,620 India 943,800 950,000 Australia 379,659 463,000 Turkey 405,952 438,000 USA 214,640 240,490 Nepal 206,869 208,201 China 150,000 145,000 Ethiopia 80,952 128,009 Syria 112,470 115,000 Iran 98,516 100,000 (Source: FAO)