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04/10/24 11:09 AM IST

Cabinet Approves National Mission on Edible Oils – Oilseeds (NMEO-Oilseeds) for 2024-25 to 2030-31

In News
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the Union Cabinet’s approval of the National Mission on Edible Oils—Oilseeds (NMEO-Oilseeds).
  • The Cabinet’s approval for the National Mission on Edible Oils—Oilseeds (NMEO-Oilseeds) is a major step towards Atmanirbharta.
About Mission
  • The newly approved NMEO-Oilseeds will focus on enhancing the production of key primary oilseed crops such as Rapeseed-Mustard, Groundnut, Soybean, Sunflower, and Sesamum, as well as increasing collection and extraction efficiency from secondary sources like Cottonseed, Rice Bran, and Tree Borne Oils.
  • The mission aims to increase primary oilseed production from 39 million tonnes (2022-23) to 69.7 million tonnes by 2030-31.
  • Together with NMEO-OP (Oil Palm), the Mission targets to increase domestic edible oil production to 25.45 million tonnes by 2030-31 meeting around 72% of our projected domestic requirement.
  • This will be achieved by promoting adoption of high-yielding high oil content seed varieties, extending cultivation into rice fallow areas, and promoting intercropping.
  • The Mission will harness ongoing development of high-quality seeds by using cutting-edge global technologies such as genome editing.
  • The Mission will introduce an Online 5-year rolling seed plan through the ‘Seed Authentication, Traceability & Holistic Inventory (SATHI)’ Portal, enabling states to establish advance tie-ups with seed-producing agencies, including cooperatives, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), and government or private seed corporations.
  • 65 new seed hubs and 50 seed storage units will be set up in public sector to improve the seed production infrastructure.
  • Additionally, over 600 Value Chain Clusters will be developed across 347 unique districts, covering more than 10 lakh hectares annually.
  • These clusters will be managed by value chain partners such as FPOs, cooperatives, and public or private entities.
  • Farmers in these clusters will have access to high-quality seeds, training on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), and advisory services on weather and pest management.
  • The Mission also seeks to expand oilseed cultivation by an additional 40 lakh hectares by targeting rice and potato fallow lands, promoting intercropping, and promoting crop diversification.
  • The Mission aims to significantly enhance domestic oilseed production, advancing the goal of Atmanirbharta (self-reliance) in edible oils, thereby reducing import dependency and conserving valuable foreign exchange while boosting farmers' incomes.
  • This mission will also accrue significant environmental benefits in the form of low water usage and improved soil health and making productive use of crop fallow areas.
Background
  • The country is heavily reliant on imports which account for 57% of its domestic demand for edible oils.
  • To address this dependency and promote self-sufficiency, the Government of India has undertaken a series of measures to enhance domestic production of edible oils, including the launch of National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) with an outlay of Rs 11,040 crore to boost oil palm cultivation in the country in 2021.
  • In addition, the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for mandated edible oilseeds has been significantly increased to ensure remunerative prices to the oilseed farmers.
  • The continuation of the Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) ensures that oilseed farmers receive MSP through price support scheme and price deficiency payment scheme.
  • Besides,  20% import duty on edible oils has been imposed to protect domestic producers from cheap imports and encourage local cultivation.
Source- PIB

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