Oil Seeds

Oil Seeds

Subject – Agriculture

Context – Oilseeds take the lead in early rabi sowing; pulses, paddy coverage stagnating

Concept –

• Oilseeds have taken the lead in early Rabi sowing till the first fortnight of October, while pulses and paddy are stagnating at last year’s levels.
• Oilseeds acreage has been reported at 2.81 lh, mainly in UP. Mustard, the main rabi oilseed, has been sown in 2.81 lh (1.71 lh).

About Oilseeds

• Oilseed crops are the second most important determinant of the agricultural economy, next only to cereals within the segment of field crops.
• The self-sufficiency in oilseeds attained through the “Yellow Revolution” during early 1990’s, could not be sustained beyond a short period.
• Oilseed crops are primarily grown for the purpose of obtaining vegetable oils from them. Oil content in them varies from 20% in soybeans to 40% in sunflowers and canola (rapeseed).
• India is able to produce a huge amount of oilseeds because of the favourable environmental conditions.
• Castor seed, sesamum, rapeseed, groundnut, mustard, soyabean, linseed, niger seed, sunflower and safflower are some of the important oilseeds India is known to produce.
• Despite being the fifth largest oilseed crop producing country in the world, India is also one of the largest importers of vegetable oils today.
• India buys more than two-thirds of its total edible oil imports as palm oil.
• India has a marked position in the world in the production of a large amount of oilseeds.
• After China, India is the second largest producer of groundnut and is third in position in the production of Rapeseed after China and Canada.
• Major Oilseeds Producing Areas in India are: Rajasthan, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh.

The Yellow Revolution

• The Yellow Revolution was launched to increase the production of Edible oilseeds in the country to meet the domestic demand.
• The revolution launched in 1986- 1987 to increase the production of edible oil, especially mustard and sesame seeds to achieve self-reliance is known as the Yellow Revolution.
• Sam Pitroda is Known as the father of the Yellow Revolution in India.
• Yellow Revolution targets nine oilseeds that are groundnut, mustard, soybean, safflower, sesame, sunflower, niger, linseed, and castor.

National Food Security Mission (Oil Seeds and Oil Palm) –

• Objective – To augment the availability of edible oils and reduce the import of edible oils by increasing the production and productivity of oilseeds and oil palm.
• Merger of NMOOP under NFSM:
  • National Mission on Oilseeds & Oil Palm (NMOOP) was launched in 2014-15 and continued upto 2017-18.
  • From 2018-19 onwards, the NMOOP is being implemented under NFSM as NFSM-Oilseeds & Oil palm comprising the sub components NFSM- Oilseeds, NFSM-Oil Palm and NFSM-Tree Borne Oilseeds (TBOs).
• Multi-Pronged Strategy:
  • Increasing Seed Replacement Ratio (SRR) with focus on varietal replacement.
  • SRR is the percentage of area sown out of total area of crop planted in the season by using certified/quality seeds other than the farm saved seed.
  • Productivity improvement by adoption of proven and climatic resilient technologies like water saving devices (sprinklers/rain gun), zero tillage, inter-cropping, relay cropping, strategic application of micronutrient and soil ameliorants.
  • Area expansion through diversification of low yielding food grains.
  • Creation of 36 oilseed hubs with a focus on regional approach for larger availability of quality seeds.
  • Post-harvest management at farm and village level.
  • Formation of Farmer Producer Organisations.
• Funding Pattern:
  • The cost sharing pattern between Central and State Governments, is in the ratio of 60:40 for general category of States and 90:10 for North Eastern and Himalayan States.
  • For few interventions, like purchase of breeder seeds by both State and Central seed producing agencies, supply of seed mini-kits to the farmers, 100% funding is provided by Government of India.