Oilseeds

Oilseeds: The Backbone of India's Edible Oil Economy

Oilseeds are crops grown primarily for extracting edible oils. They form a crucial part of India's agricultural landscape, occupying about 14 per cent of the total cropped area in the country. The major oilseed-growing regions are the drylands of the Malwa plateau, Marathwada, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Telangana, the Rayalseema region of Andhra Pradesh, and the Karnataka plateau. These areas have semi-arid conditions that suit oilseed cultivation.

The main oilseed crops grown in India are groundnut, rapeseed and mustard, soyabean, and sunflower. Each has distinct growing conditions, seasons, and regional concentrations.

Groundnut

India produces about 18.8 per cent of the world's total groundnut (as of 2018). It is largely a rainfed kharif crop of drylands, though in southern India it is also cultivated during the rabi season. Groundnut covers about 3.6 per cent of India's total cropped area.

The leading producers are Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra. Yield varies significantly by state: it is comparatively high in Tamil Nadu, where part of the crop is irrigated, but low in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka.

Rapeseed and Mustard

This group includes several oilseeds: rai, sarson, toria, and taramira. These are subtropical crops cultivated during the rabi season in north-western and central parts of India. They are frost-sensitive, so yields fluctuate from year to year. However, with the expansion of irrigation and improvements in seed technology, yields have improved and stabilised to some extent. About two-thirds of the cultivated area under these crops is now irrigated.

Together, rapeseed and mustard occupy only about 2.5 per cent of the total cropped area. Rajasthan contributes about one-third of the national production, with other leading producers being Haryana and Madhya Pradesh. Yields are comparatively high in Haryana and Rajasthan.

Other Oilseeds

Soyabean is mostly grown in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. These two states together produce about 90 per cent of India's total soyabean output. …