AreaIndia

Commodity GroupOilseeds, oils and meals

CommodityOilseeds

Date01/05/2021

Policy CategoryProduction

Policy InstrumentProduction support

DescriptionWith a view to promoting domestic oilcrop cultivation, launched a programme for the distribution of high-yielding oilseed varieties to farmers in about one-third of the nation’s administrative districts.

NotesINDIA – agricultural policy: With a view to encouraging domestic oilseed production, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare started distributing high-yielding oilseed varieties to farmers for the forthcoming Kharif (summer crop) season. Part of the National Food Security Mission, the initiative reflects concerns over the recent spike in local edible oil prices, which – given the country’s strong reliance on imports – was attributed to the recent surge in international vegetable oil prices. The new programme envisages the distribution – free of charge – of 800 000 soybean seed kits and 74 000 groundnut seed kits in nearly a third of the county’s districts. The measure is expected to bring an additional 637 000 hectares under oilcrop cultivation, potentially generating an added seed and oil output of about 1.2 million tonnes and 250 000 tonnes, respectively.