India plans to boost oilseed output, cut imports

In an attempt to reduce India’s high dependence on edible oil imports, the government is looking to boost domestic oilseeds production. The plan is to increase yields, expand the area under cultivation and introduce a dynamic import duty structure so that domestic prices are not impacted by cheaper imports. The government is also making arrangements for the assured procurement of oilseeds such as mustard, soybean and groundnut at the minimum support price (MSP) from farmers as promised by the agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Sources told FE that the agriculture ministry has identified 600 clusters across 347 districts in 20 states to boost the productivity of oilseeds, especially mustard, groundnut, soybean, sesame, and niger seeds. ‘Through the introduction of high-yielding seed varieties and creation of seed hubs and storage facilities, we expect to boost oilseeds yield from 13.5 quintal/hectare currently to 21.1 quintal/hectare by 2030,’ an official said. India is ...