Centre formulates Kharif Strategy 2021, additional 6.37 lakh hectare area to be brought under oilseeds

New Delhi [India], May 20 (ANI): As part of efforts to to achieve self-sufficiency in edible oils, the Centre has formulated Kharif Strategy 2021 under which an additional 6.37 lakh hectare area will be brought under oilseeds.
An official release said that Agriculture Ministry has adopted a multi-pronged strategy to achieve self-sufficiency in the production of oilseeds. Under the strategy, the Government of India has approved an ambitious plan for the free distribution of high yielding varieties of seeds to the farmers for the Kharif season 2021 in the form of mini-kits.
"The special kharif programme will bring an additional 6.37 lakh hectare area under oilseeds and is likely to produce 120.26 lakh quintals of oilseeds and edible oil amounting to 24.36 lakh quintals," the release said.
The release said that Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has laid emphasis on enhancing the productivity of oilseeds by increasing the availability of high yielding varieties of seeds for the farmers.
Accordingly, the special Kharif plan was discussed in detail with the state Governments in a webinar in April 2021 and also in the Kharif Conference held in Aprll.
"Through these consultations, both area and productivity enhancement has been formulated for soybean and groundnut with a focus on high yielding varieties of seeds to be provided free of cost under the National Food Security Mission (oil seeds and oil palm) Mission," the release said.
It entails several measures including distribution of soybean seeds for intercropping in 41 districts in six states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka, Telangana and Chhattisgarh costing Rs 76.03 crore and covering 1,47,500 hectares.
It also entails distribution of 74,000 groundnut seed mini kits in seven states of Gujarat, AP, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu covering costing Rs 13.03 crore for seeds not less than 22 quintal per hectare.
The release said the Centre has the objective to augment the availability of edible oils and reduce the import of edible oils by increasing the production and productivity of oilseeds and oil palm.
It said that the production of oilseeds has increased from 27.51 million tonnes in 2014-15 to 37.31 million tonnes in 2020-21 (second advance estimates), while the area has increased from 25.99 million hectares to 28.82 million hectares and yield from 1075 kg/hectares to 1295 kg/hectares during the corresponding period. (ANI)