Kharif Strategy 2021

In News

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has adopted Kharif Strategy 2021, to achieve self-sufficiency in the production of oilseeds. 

Kharif Strategy 2021

• It is 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 more than 8 lakh Soybean mini-kits and 74 thousand groundnut mini-kits.
• Under the special Kharif plan, 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 Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm.
• 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.

Oilseeds in India

• India is one of the major oilseeds grower and importer of edible oils. 
• India’s vegetable oil economy is the world’s fourth largest after the USA, China & Brazil. 
• The oilseed accounts for 13% of the Gross Cropped Area, 3% of the Gross National Product and 10% value of all agricultural commodities.
• The diverse agro-ecological conditions in the country are favourable for growing 9 annual oilseed crops, which include 7 edible oilseeds (groundnut, rapeseed & mustard, soybean, sunflower, sesame, safflower and niger) and two non-edible oilseeds (castor and linseed). 
• Oilseeds cultivation is undertaken across the country in about 27 million hectares mainly on marginal lands, of which 72% is confined to rainfed farming.
• A substantial portion of our requirement of edible oil is met through import of palm oil from Indonesia and Malaysia.

National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP)

• National Mission on Oilseeds & Oil Palm (NMOOP) was launched in 2014-15 and continued upto 2017-18.
• From 2018-19 onwards, the NMOOP is being implemented under NFSM as NFSM-Oilseeds & Oil palm comprising the sub components NFSM- Oilseeds, NFSM-Oil Palm and NFSM-Tree Borne Oilseeds (TBOs).
• The objective is 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. 
• The expenditure will be shared between Central and State Government in the ratio of 90:10 for Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram and 60:40 for remaining States.
• However, 100% support is being provided to Indian Institute of Oil Palm Research (IIOPR), Pedavegi, Andhra Pradesh for supply of planting materials, need based R&D and extension activities.
• NMOOP includes Mini Missions (MM):
  • MM I for Oilseeds
  • MM II for Oil Palm
  • MM III for Tree Borne Oilseeds (TBOs)
• A multi-pronged strategy is being adopted which includes the following:
  • Increasing the seed replacement ratio with focus on varietal replacement
  • Promotion of oilseeds through intercropping with cereals/pulses/sugarcane
  • Productivity improvement and adoption of proven and climate-resilient technologies
  • Area expansion through diversification of low yielding food grains.
  • Promotion of oilseed cultivation in non-traditional states
  • Increasing irrigation coverage
  • Encouraging mechanization; Nutrient management; Research projects; Training of farmers and extension officials
  • Post-harvest management at  farm and village level

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Challenges

• Rain-fed Conditions: The major challenge  in oilseed production is largely rain-fed conditions (70% area).
• High cost & Low Productivity: The high seed cost (Groundnut and Soybean), small holding with limited resources, low seed replacement rate and low productivity.
• Large Imports: Despite this, there exists a gap between the demand and supply of oilseeds, which has necessitated sizable quantities of imports.

Way Forward

• Oil Palm is comparatively a new crop in India and is the highest vegetable oil yielding perennial crop. Therefore, there is an urgent need to intensify efforts for area expansion under oil palm to enhance palm oil production in the country.
• It is necessary to exploit domestic resources to maximize production to ensure edible oil security for the country. 
• Tree Borne Oilseeds (TBOs), like sal, mahua, simarouba, kokum, olive, karanja, jatropha, neem, jojoba, cheura, wild apricot, walnut, tung etc. are also a good source of vegetable oil and therefore need to be supported for cultivation.
• The emphasis on enhancing the productivity of oilseeds by increasing the availability of high yielding varieties of seeds for the farmers to use on their fields will help India to become Atmanirbhar in oilseeds.

Source: PIB