Edible oil industry association Central Organisation for Oil Industry & Trade (COOIT) on Monday released estimates of mustard seed production for 2021-22 crop year at an all-time high of 109.50 lakh tonnes, up 29 per cent from the previous year. The output of mustard seeds, which is grown in rabi (winter-sown) season, stood at 85 lakh tonnes in the previous year.
COOIT finalised the estimates of mustard seed production during its 42nd annual conference, which was held at Bharatpur in Rajasthan on 12th and 13th March 2022. As per the COOIT data, mustard seed production is estimated at 109.5 lakh tonnes in 2021-22.
The area under coverage has been pegged at 87.44 lakh hectares while the average yield is seen at 1,270 kg per hectare.
“COOIT has finalised estimates for mustard seed production in this Rabi season after extensive field visits by different teams all over India. The production is set to rise at record 109.5 lakh tonnes,” COOIT Chairman Suresh Nagpal said.
“The likely rise in mustard seed production augurs well for the country, as the domestic output of mustard oil will increase and overall edible oils import may come down. Farmers have put more area under mustard seed crop during this rabi season as they received better realisation from their last year’s crop,” Nagpal said.
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India imports about 60-65 per cent of its total domestic demand for edible oils. In 2020-21 oil year (November-October), the country’s imports remained stable at 13 million tonnes. However, in value terms, imports touched Rs 1.17 lakh crore from nearly Rs 72,000 crore in the previous year.
Mustard seeds are grown only in Rabi season and the sowing starts from October, while harvesting begins from March. Mustard is an important crop for farmers in Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh among others.
Rajasthan is the largest mustard producing state in the country. Mustard seed production in the state is expected to increase upto 49.50 lakh tonne during rabi season of 2021-22 from 35 lakh tonnes in the previous year. In Uttar Pradesh, production is likely to increase from 13.5 lakh tonnes from 17 lakh tonnes.
Mustard seed production in Madhya Pradesh is estimated to rise to 12.5 lakh tonnes from 8.5 lakh tonnes. In Punjab and Haryana, mustard seed production is expected 11.50 lakh tonnes, up from 9.5 lakh tonnes in the previous year.
Production in Gujarat is expected to rise at 6.5 lakh tonne as against 4 lakh tonnes in the previous year. The output in West Bengal, eastern India and other states is likely to remain the same 14.5 lakh tonnes as of last year.
