India launches national missions on edible oils and palm oil in bid to boost the country’s oilseed production

The Indian government has launched two missions – on edible oils and palm oil – in a bid to ensure food security and end its reliance on imports, Policy Circle reported on 7 October. With a focus on increasing edible oil production from oil palm, the National Mission of Edible Oils – Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) will run from 2024/25 to 2030/31. “Considering the growing domestic demand for edible oils, the staggering deficiency and the cost to the exchequer on account of imports, the urgency of scaling up the oil palm area is of national interest,” a statement on the government website said. “The aim [is] to enhance edible oilseeds production and oils availability in the country by harnessing oil palm area expansion, increasing crude palm oil (CPO) and reducing imports.” India produced 39M tonnes of oilseeds in 2022/23, but the government planned to increase this to 69.7M tonnes under the national oilseeds scheme, Policy Circle wrote. It also aimed to improve yields from 1,353 kg/ha to ...