Mustard Seed

Rajasthan distributes mustard seed minikits to 7,300 women farmers in Kota district to boost productivity and promote women's role in agriculture

Mustard crop, an indigenous oilseed grown in Rabi season, can play an important role in achieving self-sufficiency in domestic output of edible oils and there is a need to increase acreage, promote use of high-yielding seed varieties and provide assured prices to farmers to boost yield and production, according to industry experts. According to the latest government data, India's rapeseed and mustard production stood at 126.06 lakh tonnes in 2024-25 crop year (July-June) with acreage of 86.29 lakh hectares and an average yield of 1,461 kg per hectare. The area and production have declined from 2023-24 when acreage was 91.83 lakh hectares while output was 132.59 lakh tonnes. Puri Oil Mills Ltd Managing Director Vivek Puri said, "The idea that mustard oil should play a vital role in bridging the edible oil demand-supply gap and in reducing import dependency is an integral part of our company's vision." He noted that there is a huge scope to expand mustard cultivation as well as yield

In India, rapeseed and mustard accounts for nearly one-third of edible oil produced through primary sources, making it the country's key edible oilseed crop

Commodity traders also feel that the production of Rabi crops will increase due to severe cold conditions

Agriculture and allied sectors contribute around 25 per cent to the state's gross domestic product

Activists claims Centre misleading SC on GM mustard

The next hearing will be on November 29

Almost 200 activists gathered outside the Directorate of Mustard Research in Bharatpur (Rajasthan), calling for halting the approvals

The bench queried the Centre's counsel on the current status in connection with the environmental release of GM mustard

Even the opinion of farmers' groups seems divided after AIKS comes out in support

'We have been asked to go for coordinated trials to be conducted by ICAR'

Wheat is usually sown in around 31 million hectares, mostly in the northern belt

However, achieving self-sufficiency in edible oil will remain a distant dream unless drastic policy measures are taken

Markets watchdog Sebi on Friday barred commodity exchange NCDEX from launching new mustard seed contracts till further orders amid efforts to curb rising prices of mustard oil. The latest direction for the National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange Ltd (NCDEX) will come into immediate effect. In respect of running contracts, no new position will be allowed to be taken. Only squaring up of position will be allowed, Sebi said in a release. "No new mustard seed contract shall be launched till further orders," it said. Edible oil industry body Solvent Extractors Association's (SEA) Executive Director B V Mehta said Sebi has taken this decision to check further rise in prices of mustard oils. Much of the mustard seed stock has been crushed and as a result there is pressure on prices, he added. Tight supply of mustard seeds has put pressure on wholesale and retail prices of mustard oil. As per the government data, the average retail price of mustard oil (packaged) increased to Rs 183.

Mustard seed at the benchmark Jaipur market is trading at Rs 6,160 per quintal; Benchmark cotton S6 (29mm) in Gujarat is quoting around Rs 19,100 per bale

"To produce 5 lakh tonnes of mustard oil, we will require 12-15 lakh tonnes of extra mustard seeds," Mallick said

Apart from a spurt in mustard oil prices, consumers are also being sold contaminated products by traders out to make a quick buck

Barley prices in Jaipur are trading at Rs 1,416 per quintal. Mustard seed is trading at Rs 4,900 per quintal

Maize prices in Gulabbagh are trading at Rs 2,085 per quintal

Mustard SeedMustard seed arrivals have entered a lean period, with daily arrivals of nearly 180,000 bags. Seasonal demand for mustard oil, however, is expected to gather pace when demand from pickle manufacturers gains momentum. Mustard seed crush margins have also turned positive, supporting demand from processors. We expect mustard seed prices to head towards Rs 4,600 a quintal in the coming week.MaizeMaize prices in the Gulabbagh (Bihar) market are trading at Rs 1,330 a quintal. Prices are expected to be about Rs 1,350 a quintal in the coming week, after a robust demand from bordering states, amid lower overall supplies.Prerana Desai,Vice-president (research), Edelweiss Agri Services and Credit, Edelweiss Agri Value Chain Limited