Expectations from Oilseed Mission
05-Oct-2024 12:30 PM
In the domestic sector, the production of oilseed crops and oil-bearing commodities has stagnated within a certain limit, whereas due to various reasons,
the demand and consumption of edible oils is increasing rapidly. To bridge the huge gap between demand and supply, edible oils are imported in record quantities from abroad, on which billions of dollars are being spent.
The government has been repeatedly urged to curb the outflow of this precious foreign currency by increasing the domestic production of oilseeds-oil, but no concrete and positive result has come out of all the policies and schemes made in the last decade.
On the other hand, the import of edible oils has jumped rapidly and reached more than 160 lakh tonnes. In a huge country like India, the dependence on import of edible oils increasing to 60 percent is definitely a matter of deep concern and there is a dire need to control it.
The government has now started paying attention to this, which has raised hopes for the future. But there is a need to keep a close eye on the upcoming activities because government policies and schemes keep on being
made and in the initial stage they are also implemented with full pomp and show but with the passage of time the pace of those schemes decreases and hence the expected results are not achieved.
The Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs decided to launch the National Oilseeds-Oil Mission yesterday and also made a provision of Rs 10,103 crore for it.
On achieving the target set under this, India will not only become self-sufficient to a large extent in terms of edible oils but will also become an important exporter of oil meal (DOC) which will increase the inflow of foreign currency in the country.
The government has set an ambitious target to increase the domestic production of oilseed crops from 390 lakh tons to 697 lakh tons,
the average yield rate of oilseed crops from 1353 kg per hectare to 2112 kg per hectare and the production of edible oils from 127 lakh tons to 202 lakh tons in seven years from 2024-25 to 2030-31 and has also made a plan to increase the sowing area of oilseed crops by 40 lakh hectares.
This target is not impossible but it is not easy either. To achieve this, there will be a dire need of prior cooperation, support and dedication of all the concerned parties.