Mumbai, 4 April (Commoditiescontrol): India is set to achieve a record-breaking 120.90 lakh tonnes of rapeseed-mustard production in the 2023-24 season, signaling a significant stride towards self-sufficiency in edible oils. This remarkable surge is driven by favorable weather, sustained high mustard seed prices, and focused initiatives by the Solvent Extractors' Association of India (SEA).
India's heavy reliance on edible oil imports has strained its economy. In response, the SEA launched its ambitious "Model Mustard Farm Project" in 2020-21, with the goal of increasing rapeseed-mustard production to 200 lakh tonnes by 2029-30. This project, combined with supportive weather conditions, has spurred consistent growth in mustard production from 86 lakh tonnes in 2020-21 to 113.5 lakh tonnes in 2022-23. This year's record-breaking projection, achieved on over 100 lakh hectares of plantings, demonstrates the project's success.
To ensure meticulous data collection, the SEA partnered with RMSI Cropalytics Pvt Ltd. The crop survey involved cutting-edge remote sensing analysis and intensive ground-level surveys across eight major mustard-producing states: Assam, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.
While some crop damage occurred in February, the average yield for 2023-24 is estimated at 1201 kg/ha. This surpasses the SEA's previous estimate of 115 lakh tonnes; it also aligns with the Ministry of Agriculture's Second Advance Estimate of 126.96 lakh tonnes.
The SEA will conduct a final survey in April-May to confirm its yield and production estimates.
(By Commoditiescontrol Bureau: 09820130172)