The COOIT crop estimate committee lowered the rabi crop of rapeseed from 59.5 lakh tonnes to 55.5 lakh tonnes and sunflower seed from 7.3 lakh tonnes to 6.6 lalk tonnes.

It has also projected a lower kharif crop of castorseed from 9.2 lakh tonnes to 8.7 lakh tonnes. In case of solvent extracted oils, ricebran oil production estimate is reduced by 50,000 tonnes to 450,000 tonnes and similarly solvent extracted rapeseed oil is reduced from 90,000 tonnes to 50,000 tonnes.

In effect, the overall oil availability is revised downward by 2.7 lakh tonnes to 71 lakh tonnes from the earlier estmate of 73.7 lakh tonnes.

However, the production estimates of other major oilseeds like copra, groundnut, cottonseed, soyabean, salseed and sesameseedhave been retained at the earlier levels.

After the revised estimates the total oilseeds and oils availability compared to previous year (1997-98) has increased by 8 per cent and 4 per cent respectively at 282 lakh tonnes and 71 lakh tonnes respectively as against 261 lakh tonnes and 68 lakh tonnes respectively.

According to the revised estimates, rabi production of rapeseed/mustard in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan are now pegged at seven lakh tonnes and 23 lakh tonnes respectively as against 9 lakh tonnes and 25 lakh tonnes respectively.

Similarly, the sunflower seed production in Punjab and Haryana have been revised downward at 0.9 lakh tonnes and 0.7 lakh tonnes as against 1.3 lakh tonnes and 1.0 lakh tonnes respectively.

The Kharif crop of castor seed has been lowered at 6.5 lakh tonnes as against 7.0 lakh tonnes in the state of Gujarat.

Earlier, rabi crop of various oilseeds in the country which was expected to be more by 17 lakh tonnes at 95.40 lakh tonnes now stands at 90.70 lakh tonnes.

As aresult edible oil availability, which was also expected to improve by 5.80 lakh tonnes at 73.70 lakh tonnes, now stands lower at 71 lakh tonnes, higher by 3.10 lakh tonnes. Last rabi had reaped 78.20 lakh tonnes oilseeds.

The revised oilseed crops for both kharif and rabi seasons now stand as under. Groundnut crop is expected to be 73.60 lakh tonnes, 3.10 lakh tonnes higher than previous year's 70.50 lakh tonnes. Rape/mustard crop at 56.50 lakh tonnes which is 10 lakh tonnes higher than previous year's 46.5 lakh tonnes. Sunflower seed crop is expected to decline by 2.80 lakh tonnes at 9.30 lakh tonnes against last year's 12.10 lakh tonnes.

Sesame seed production is expected to be marginally lower at 7.50 lakh tonnes against previous year's crop of 7.90 lakh tonnes. Safflower seed production is on the rise at 2.50 lakh tonnes from last year's 1.50 lakh tonnes. Linseed crop is marginally higher at three lakh tonnes against previous year's 2.9 lakh tonnes.

Similarly, the oil production of various oilseedsis expected to be higher at 71 lakh tonnes against previous year's 67.90 lakh tonnes. Rape and mustard oil is sharply up by 3.30 lakh tonnes at 18.20 lakh tonnes (14.90 lakh tonnes). However, groundnut oil is expected to remain static at 15.4 lakh tonnes (15.40 lakh tonnes).

Sunflower oil is estimated to decline at 3.3 lakh tonnes against last year's 4.2 lakh tonnes. Even the sesame seed oil is expected to decline at 2.5 lakh tonnes against 2.90 lakh tonnes.

Safflower oil production is expected to rise steeply at 0.80 lakh tonnes, 0.30 lakh tonnes higher than previous year's meagre 0.50 lakh tonnes. Linseed oil production is also estimated to be almost static at 1.3 lakh tonnes against last crop of 1.2 lakh tonnes.