Oil Seeds
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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.