Deficient monsoon rains may not augur well for the country’s oilseeds crop and may prompt it to step up imports of edible oil during 2012-13 to keep up with increasing demand, a senior industry official said.
India’s imports of edible oil during 2012-13 are expected to increase to 103.1 lakh tonnes (lt)compared with 97.8 lt in 2011-12, Govindbhai G. Patel, Managing Partner of GG Patel & Nikhil Research Co, an independent crop research company.
Onset of monsoon rains has been quite late this season impacting much of groundnut crop, he told delegates to an oilseeds conference.
In most of the groundnut growing area rain deficiency was quite high. In Saurashtra, the main groundnut growing region, the deficiency was as much as 80 per cent. In other growing areas rains towards the end of August reduced the deficit to 20 per cent, Patel said.
But in soyabean growing areas, rainfall situation improved after the initial lag. Soaybean output is likely to be higher by seven per cent during 2012-13 at 107 lt, he said.
He also reiterated that the country’s dependence on imports of edible oil will continue as production lags behind demand.
Efforts should be made to increase productivity of oilseeds and palm oil cultivation should be encouraged, he said.
Keywords: Deficient monsoon, rains, oilseeds crop, imports, edible oil, Govindbhai G. Patel
Comments:
It appears that India has resigned to the practice of annual imports of edible oil. We need to break this habit in the interest of the welfare of the people and the country’s development. We seem to be at a loss how to go about doing this. I like to make two suggestions to achieve self sufficiency in edible oils. First we have to destroy our mindset and wishful thinking that new varieties will do the magic. Unfortunately it does not work that way. If our existing oil seed varieties are treated with modern crop production technologies used in developed countries we can achieve quantum jump in crop productivity per acre between 300% and 500% within a short period. This involves using a world class soil testing laboratory to analyze all 12 essential plant nutrients and incorporate them in the soil in a balanced fashion prior to planting a crop. Second, try to get away from monsoon dependent farming by capturing rain water to build up the water table using modern chiseling technologies.
Edible oil market is very speculative and more so in terms of long and better
storability,growing demand,overemphasis on soybean,groundnuts,canola and
sunflower.Coconut oil prices are touching the bottom due to reasons beyond the control of
farmers.The adverse propaganda about coconut oil inducing cardiovascular blocks due to
higher content of saturated fatty acids is yet to be countered.The virgin coconut oil from
fresh kernels and kernel milk is reported against cardiovascular diseases and is
recommended as a general tonic to aged against fatigue,obesity and even high BP.There
are research papers from reputed laboratories disputing the ill effects of coconut oil and
more so shown by generations of Keralites who use the oil for all purposes.The drainage in
foreign exchange for importing edible oil can be minimized by promoting coconut oil to a
large extent and livelihood of 6 million homesteads in Kerala alone can be ensured.Coconut
farmers are in doldrums.
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