Steps mooted to increase oilseed production

Expressbuzz, Dec 3, 2009
BHAWANIPATNA: The demand for edible oil has mushroomed during last few months in the country. And with the production of oilseeds not at par with the edible oil demand, the government had to import oil worth Rs 28,000 crore in the current financial year to tide over the crisis.Orissa is placed at the seventh position as far as oilseeds production is concerned even though it has potential to produce more.The State produces a mere 0.16 million tonne (MT) of oilseeds as against the national figure of 25.29 (MT). The major oil producing area in the State is the western region including KBK areas due to favourable climatic and soil condition.Few years back, the Western Orissa Oilseeds Growers Union gave a boost to oilseed production but after the union collapsed, oilseed growers suffered a major setback.To address the issue, a three-day training-cum-workshop on oilseed cultivation was organised here recently by Sahabhagi Vikas Abhiyan, a NGO.Delegates across the region expressed concern on discontinuation of oil technology mission, non-promotion of oilseed production and ‘undue’ price rise of edible oil by traders.The speakers decided to promote local cluster-level farmers’ cooperatives for oil extraction and marketing in villages and linking oilseed producers with processors. Besides, they decided to enhance oilseed production through area expansion and providing technical help to farmers.