The Hindu Business Line : SEA urges Govt to focus on productivity

The Union Government must focus on increasing productivity of oilseeds by 100 kg a hectare every year for next five years so that yields rise from the present 900 kg/ha to 1,400 kg/ha in order to meet the growing demand and check the rising imports of vegetable oil, Mr A. R. Sharma, President of Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEA), said.

He was addressing the annual general meeting of the association with over 400 delegates participating.

Oilseeds output in kharif 2006 season has been estimated by the Ministry of Agriculture at 130 lakh tonnes, down from 168 lt last year.

Poor output

Mr Sharma also called for a national bio-diesel/bio-fuel policy that would encompass all critical areas, including developing feedstock supply chain, import policy, customs tariff, domestic duty structure, distribution and so on.

Notwithstanding a significant decline in oilseeds output during kharif 2006 as estimated by the Government, vegetable oil production for the whole of oil year 2006-07 would be little changed from last year, according to Mr Govindbhai Patel of Dipak Enterprises, whose private estimate of vegetable oil production for 2006-07 was 68.5 lt, marginally down from 69.6 lt of last year.

Bearish outlook

However, imported oil requirement for the year would be over 10 per cent higher at 50 lt compared with 44 lt for 2005-06, he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Dorab Mistry, Director of M/s Goderj International Ltd, London, predicted that worldwide acreage under oilseeds was not expected to show any marked increase.

With wheat prices high and upside potential for corn prices in view of bio-ethanol demand, oilseeds were bound to lose acreage, he said.

Mr Mistry warned that Indian oilseed sector policies were not made envisaging a long-term perspective.

The overall outlook for edible oil was bearish with very good weather in major producing countries, he stated, adding that soybean could lose some acreage in Brazil because of price sentiment.

SEA gave away awards for top performers in processing and exports of oilmeals.

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