Oilseeds crops

India is one of the major oilseeds grower and importer of oil seeds. The diverse agro – ecological conditions in the country are favourable for growing 9 annual oilseeds crops which includes 7oipseeds (groundnut, rapeseed, mustard, soyabean, sunflower, sesame, safflower and niger) and two non- edible oilseeds(Castor and oilseed).Oilseeds cultivation is undertaken across the country in
about 27 million hectares mainly on marginal lands, of which 72% is confined to rainfed farming. During the last few years, the domestic consumption of edible oils has increased substantially and has touched the level of 18.90 million tonnes in recent years and is likely to increase further. It is, therefore, necessary to exploit domestic resources to maximize production to ensure edible oil security for the country. Oil Palm is comparatively a new crop in India and is the highest vegetable oil yielding perennial crop. With quality planting materials, irrigation and proper management, there is potential of achieving 20-30 MT Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFBs) per ha after attaining the age of 5 years. Therefore, there is an urgent need to intensify efforts for area expansion under oil palm to enhance palm oil production in the country.