The selection of pulses in Suriname

The consumption of pulses in Suriname amounts to an annual value of about Sf 600,000, of which two thirds represent the value of importations. There is a long standing wish to reduce imports by increasing the production and consumption of local products. The article describes the many previous attempts to establish reliable methods of cultivation, which failed because of unpredictable rainfall and the very heavy clay soil which remains waterlogged for a long time after a shower. A method introduced recently, viz. of planting pulses on ridges, has shown promising results since it avoids the difficulties of soil management. However, this method used in several experiments, needs to be adapted to the agricultural conditions of the small-holders. If the majority of rice farmers would successfully adopt this method, production could be raised to supersede the local demand by many times so that the product could be sold abroad. The selection program of pulses should then proceed as follows:

1. 1.
   to ascertain which pulses are in constant demand by the world market