Aimed at achieving self-sufficiency in the production of edible oil in the country, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has set the target to bring an additional 6.37 lakh hectare area under oilseeds.
Through this additional 6.37 lakh hectare area under oilseeds, the Ministry is hoping to produce 120.26 lakh quintals of oilseeds and edible oil amounting to 24.36 lakh tonnes.
As per Kharif Strategy 2021 formulated by the Ministry, the Centre will distribute high yielding varieties of seeds to farmers to enable the farming community to use it in farming to grow oilseeds, said a statement from the Ministry of Agriculture.
"More than 8 lakh Soybean mini-kits and 74,000 groundnut mini-kits to be distributed under the National Food Security Mission (Oil Seeds and Oil Palm) Mission during Kharif season," said the statement.
In India Kharif, the major agriculture season starts from June to October which depends on monsoon rainfall.
These kits will be distributed in high oil seeds production districts including districts in Karnataka.
"The Government of India through the National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm has the objective to augment the availability of edible oils and reduce the import of edible oils by increasing the production and productivity of oilseeds and oil palm," said the statement.
As a result of the programme, the production of oilseeds has increased from 27.51 million tonnes in 2014-15 to 37.31 million tonnes in 2020-21 (2nd advance estimates), while the area has increased from 25.99 million hectares to 28.82 million hectares and yield from 1075 kg/hectares to 1295 kg/hectares during the same corresponding period," said the statement.
(Published 20 May 2021, 17:28 IST)
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