Mustard seed production is likely to hit a record thanks to highest-ever sowing of 9.8 million hectare (MH) this season and prevailing conducive weather condition in key growing regions. This is likely to reduce country’s import dependence for edible oils.
The standing crop condition looks robust and the earlier reports of ground frost and hailstorm in parts of Haryana last month was more localised thus did not impact the crop in large scale,” P K Rai, Director, Directorate of Rapeseed-Mustard Research, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, told FE. Rai said the production of mustard seed is expected to be record this season.
Harvesting of mustard seed is likely to commence from end of this month.
Traders say that after the mustard harvest starts arriving in the mandis by end of this month, the prices are expected to rule at least 20% above the MSP of Rs 5,450/quintal announced by the government.
As per the preliminary projections, mustard seed production is likely to cross 12.5 million tonne in the 2022-23 crop year (July-June), which is 7% more than previous year.
The reports that we have received from various markets seems to be indicating encouraging mustard output and the higher area and productivity would enable higher oilseeds production and bring down demand for imported edible oils,” Vivek Puri, Managing Director, Puri Oil Mills, promoter of ‘P mark’ brand of mustard oil, said.
India imports around 56% of its annual edible oil consumption and in FY22 it had imported edible oil valued at Rs 1.5 trillion. The country produces about 44% of domestic edible oil consumption in which, mustard has a highest share of 39% followed by soybean (24%), groundnut (7%) etc.
Area under mustard in the current rabi season has been reported at a record 9.8 MH which is 64% more than last five years’ average sown area of 6.4 MH. In the 2021-22 season, mustard sown areas stood at 9.1 MH.
Currently, Rajasthan (40%), Madhya Pradesh (14%), Uttar Pradesh (9%) and Haryana (7%), have a combined share of 70% in the mustard seed sown area in the country this season. West Bengal (7%), Assam (3.4%) and Bihar (2%) share in the total sowing of mustard.
An agriculture ministry official said that under the national food security mission – oilseeds, seeds, inputs and other services are being provided to farmers in the eastern states mainly Assam, West Bengal and Bihar to boosting mustard seed production.
As part of the initiative, the short duration of varieties of mustard seeds such as NRCHB 101 and DRMR 150/35, which matures in around 110 days, has been distributed to farmers in the eastern region, keeping into consideration the time available between harvesting of kharif crops such as paddy and rabi crops sowing.
The varieties grown in key mustard growing states, including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana, on an average, have a maturity period of 150-155 days.
The edible oil and fat category saw a marginal retail inflation at 0.53% in December 2022, mostly contributed by decline in domestic prices of edible oil since May.
For mustard oil, prices declined by 8.6% in December 2022. Inflation in refined oil (sunflower, soybean and palm) was at 5.2% because of a decline in global prices of edible oil.