Aims for 200 lakh tonne mustard production by 2025

Jaipur: The third SEA’s Rapeseed-Mustard Conclave 2019 of the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA), under the auspices of its SEA-Rapeseed-Mustard Promotion Council, reflected that if India has to be saved from importing oil then the mustard production target has to be fixed to 100 lakh tonne by 2020 and by 2025 increase the mustard production to 200 lakh tonne. At present the country’s 70% dependency is on imported edible oil.

Atul Chaturvedi, president SEA in his inaugural speech at Rapeseed Mustard Conclave 2019 welcoming the guests said, “As we all know that today edible oil import of India has reached 70%. In such situation there is huge scope for production of mustard cultivated on less water.”

He said mustard crop is suitable to the climate and it can be grown with less water along with it has a lot of contribution in production of honey. He said in 1980s, the Government of India had launched oilseed mission and its objective was to prepare such a roadmap that its recommendations are implemented by the state government. Mustard Technology Mission apart from the government had included private sector in this so that all are benefitted with the expertise. This mission also improved the quality of mustard seeds.

Chaturvedi said the ideas and suggestions of the speakers in this conclave will prove helpful in increasing the production of mustard and hope that target of producing 100 lakh tonne by 2020 and 200 lakh tonne by 2025 will be achieved and India has to be less dependent on oil imports.

The chief guest of the conclave N.B. Godrej, Managing Director, M/s. Godrej Industries Ltd. Mumbai highlighting on the importance of mustard production said today, the farmer who is doubling the mustard production and oil producer are ‘hero’ in right sense. “We have to be self-dependent on mustard and oilseed production so that dependency on oil imports reduces,” he added.

Siraj Hussain, Former Agriculture Secretary to Government of India said, “If we look at the report issued by the concerned department of Government of India, the poverty in India in 2005 was 55%, which in 2016 has reduced to 28%. Reduction in poverty means increase in consumption of oil.” He said there is huge scope in production of oilseed and oil for which it is important to change the policy along with production has to be increased to reduce the dependency on foreign countries.

Agriculture Commissioner, Government of India Dr SK Malhotra addressing the conclave said in last three years SEA has progressed a lot. The production has increased with SEA organising discussions and by implementing the suggestions given by SEA to the government along with new techniques are being used in mustard production. He said, “By looking to our roadmap for oilseed production, we will succeed in increasing the oilseed production up to 20 million tonne from current production of 8.5 million tonne.”

Farmer Leader and Chairman, Maharashtra Agriculture Cost & Price Commission, Govt. of Maharashtra, Mumbai, Pasha Patel who is taking part in conclave for last three years said at the time of climate change, if more production is required then maximum plantation has to be done. With more number of trees, the ground water level will also increase accordingly.

In the first session the guests and sponsors were presented mementos. SEA Rapeseed Mustard Promotion Council convener Vijay Data appealed the government to help in purchasing mustard and oilseeds from farmers on minimum support price and also warned that on increase in production, if farmers do not get fair price then all the efforts would go waste.

In the second session of the conclave discussion was held on technology and policy intervention requirement for improving mustard crop productivity under the chairmanship of Navkisan and ARPL Limited Vijay Sardana. The Mustard industry based on the deliberations of the discussion requested the government to form a multi stake holder committee so that problems faced in mustard production can be resolved. SEA mustard member and Technology Company should organise a seminar in July so that an action plan for mustard production can be prepared. Apart from this, new varieties of mustard and oilseeds should be developed through which farmers and producer can produce maximum edible oils. Discussion was held on ‘Mustard Seed and Oil Price Outlook 2019’ in the concluding session.