Rabi oilseeds production estimates up by over 18%: SEA

According to SEA estimates, total area under rabi oilseeds has gone up by 7.2% in 2016-17

Favourable weather and water availability in oilseeds growing regions may push rabi production by 18.53 per cent to 9.17 million tonnes, up from 7.74 million tonnes in the previous year, cites Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEA) in its estimates.

In order to assess kharif and rabi oilseed crop, SEA has also established a crop estimate committee with association's past president Govind Patel as its convener.

According to SEA estimates, total area under rabi oilseeds has also gone up by 7.2 per cent to 9.19 million hectares in 2016-17, up from 8.57 million hectares in 2015-16. Overall yield too has improved from 903 kg per hectares to 998 kg during the period.

"Monsoon was good that provided sufficient water at the oilseeds producing states like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Rajasthan. As result sowing has increased in this rabi season," said B V Mehta, executive director of SEA.

Among the various oilseeds, as per SEA data, highest improvement has been seen in rapeseed or mustard with 20.18 per cent rise in production to 6.97 million tonnes as against 5.8 million tonnes. Area under the crop has gained by 9.34 per cent to over seven million hectares from 6.45 million hectares. Groundnut output may increase from 1.24 million tonnes to 1.54 million tonnes in rabi season for the year 2016-17.

However, area of sunflower seed has gone down from 372,000 hectares to 211,000 hectares and as result production may decline to 130,000 tonnes from 240,000 tonnes, for the said period.

SEA believes that the total vegetable oil availability from kharif and rabi oilseeds crops for the year 2016-17 (November-October) has increased by 1.28 million tonnes and is estimated at 8.5 million tonnes compared to 7.20 million tonnes last year.

"In view of bumper crop, import of edible oil year in 2016-17 (November-October) likely to decrease and estimated at 14 million tonnes. Import of non-edible oil is likely to be 200,000 tonnes. Total import of vegetable oils is estimated at 14.20 million tonnes during 2016-17 against 14.73 million tonnes in 2015-16," said SEA in a estimate report.