The proposed board should be formed on the lines of existing boards for coffee, tea, rubber and jute, under the jurisdiction of the ministry of food and consumer affairs for better industry growth, Indian Vanaspati Producers' Association (IVPA) executive director IR Mehra said.

According to an IVPA proposal submitted to the ministry, this body would ensure proper coordination between various industry segments, government and other agencies involved in promoting oilseed cultivation.

The proposed board's powers will encompass the farming sector, oil extraction industry, processing industry and the vanaspati industry, Mehra said.

"Since the above segments are economically inter-dependent, there is need to have an integrated policy for the development of the entire sector," Mehra said.

Earlier, the parliamentary standing committee on food andcivil supplies in 1996 had recommended constitution of an oil board to help formulate policies and co-ordinate the growth of this sector.

Mehra said the board should have the union food and civil supplies minister as its ex-officio chairman and the sugar and edible oil secretary as its vice-chairman.

"It should have atleast 22 members, including representatives of the commerce and finance ministries, planning commission, vegetable oil production controller and representatives of various segments of the industry," he said.

The proposed structure for the board differs from that of the existing rubber, tea and coffe boards where civil servants act as chairmen.

The new board would play a major role in enhancing more and more research and development (r&d) activities in the oilseed sector besides improving avaliability of hybrid seeds for farmers, IVPA chief said.

Despite the formation of an oilseed technology mission, little has been done for improving quality of hybrid seeds and enhancing research anddevelopment, Mehra said.

"An active board working in the interest of the consumers, farmers and the industry could avert crises like mustard oil adulteration and sharp rise in prices," he said.

The board will be required to plan ahead of the season to make meet supply requirements and regulate commodity imports into the domestic market, the ivpa chief said.