Chickpea is an important grain legume crop in the world. 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 and acreage response of chickpea during pre-and post Technology Mission on Pulses. State level and region wise 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 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. The factor such as lagged price and lagged acreage of chickpea, current acreage of wheat and rabi jowar were observed to play a major vital role in influencing chickpea acreage.