Attractive prices of rapeseed prompt farmers to expand area
NEW DELHI: The name of wheat comes at the top among the major cash crops of Rabi season. There is considerable consumption of wheat in India. Also, according to the data, most of the crops sown in the current rabi season (2022-23) are of oilseeds and pulses (Rapeseed crop). The special thing is that this year the sowing of mustard has been 6 times more as compared to the same period last year. At the same time, this time the sowing of gram has also started early as compared to last year.
According to the reuters, Rapeseed output in India is likely to rise to a record high in 2023 as higher prices have encouraged farmers to plant the main winter oilseed on nearly 9% more area than a year ago, trade and industry officials said.
Higher rapeseed production could help India, the world’s biggest importer of vegetable oils, cut expensive overseas purchases of cooking oils that cost the country a record $18.9 billion in the fiscal year to March 31, 2022.
According to the fourth advance estimate of the production of major agricultural crops for the year 2021-22 of the Union Ministry of Agriculture, a record 315.72 million tonnes of food grains production is estimated this year, which is 4.98 million tonnes more than in 2020-21. Food grain production during the year 2021-22 is 25 million tonnes more than the average food grain production of the last five years (2016-17 to 2020-21). Record production of rice, maize, gram, pulses, rapeseed and mustard, oilseeds, and sugarcane is estimated.
Mustard has been sown on 4.30 lakh hectares
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, till now mustard sowing has been done in 4.30 lakh hectare. In the same period a year ago, only 67,000 hectares were sown. So far gram has also been sown in one lakh hectare. Sowing of paddy varieties to be planted in rabi season has also been done in 1.25 lakh hectare this time. Sowing of both these crops had not started till this time last year.
Why has there been excess sowing?
Agricultural experts say that this year, in the last days of September and early days of October, there has been a good rain in many states of the country. Because of this, farmers in many states including Rajasthan have started sowing mustard and gram due to good soil moisture. There is a reason for the increase in mustard sowing this year, as well as getting good prices for the last two seasons is also a reason. In comparison to gram and other crops, the production of mustard has also been good for the last two years and the price has also been found above the MSP fixed by the government. Because of this also the trend of farmers has increased this time.
Higher rapeseed production could help India, the world’s biggest importer of vegetable oils, cut expensive overseas purchases of cooking oils that cost the country a record $18.9 billion in the fiscal year to March 31, 2022.
India meets more than 70% of its cooking oil demand through imports of palm oil, soyoil and sunflower oil from Malaysia, Indonesia, Brazil, Argentina, Ukraine and Russia.
Several European nations rely on Ukraine for their rapeseed needs. With production threatened in Ukraine, countries such as Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, U.K. and Poland may need to look to other top rapeseed producers to meet their domestic needs. Across the Black Sea, Turkey is also highly dependent on Ukrainian rapeseed.
Rapeseed supply is of concern in these countries, not only due to conditions in Ukraine but also to domestic growing concerns. Cultivated mainly for its oil-rich seed, rapeseed is the third largest source of vegetable oil and the second largest source of protein meal in the world.