It is necessary to increase the yield rate of soybean for self-sufficiency in edible oils.
14-Oct-2024 08:25 PM
Indore. The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways has said that if India has to achieve self-sufficiency in the production of edible oils, then there should be an expected increase in the average productivity per acre of soybean.
Although soybean is the most important oilseed crop of the country in terms of production quantity, but its yield rate is far behind in comparison to many countries.
The Minister said that huge quantities of palm oil are being imported from Indonesia and Malaysia and the rapidly increasing dependence on its import can be reduced only when soybean cultivation is given adequate encouragement and a huge increase in the production of edible oils from indigenous sources is possible.
Addressing the 7th International Soya Conclave organized in Indore through video conferencing, the Highways Minister said that there is a dire need to increase the yield rate of soybean to make India self-sufficient in terms of edible oils and along with this,
it is also necessary to reduce the production cost of soybean. India imports about 60 percent of its edible oil requirement from abroad, which mainly includes crude palm oil, crude soybean oil, crude sunflower oil, RBD palmolein and crude palm kernel oil.
The Road Transport Minister said in his address that the Central Government is taking several steps through the National Edible Oil Mission to increase the domestic production of soybean, which also includes the development of improved variety of seeds of this important oilseed crop.
He expressed hope that with the joint efforts of the government and the industry and the tireless hard work of the farmers, India will continue to move forward towards achieving the goal of becoming self-reliant in the production of edible oils.
It is noteworthy that the International Soya Conclave was organized on 13 October by an important Indore-based organization - Soybean Processors Association of India (SOPA). More than 800 delegates participated in this two-day program.