National Mission on Edible Oils–Oilseeds (NMEO-Oilseeds)

National Mission on Edible Oils–Oilseeds (NMEO-Oilseeds)

The Union Cabinet recently undertook the rationalisation of 18 centrally sponsored schemes and approved the National Mission on Edible Oils – Oilseeds (NMEO-Oilseeds), an important initiative to boost India's oilseed production and reduce dependency on edible oil imports. Here’s a breakdown of the rationalisation of schemes and key facts regarding the NMEO-Oilseeds mission.

Key Facts Regarding the Rationalisation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes
Categorization of Schemes:
The Union Government has restructured the Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare into two main umbrella schemes:

• Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY)
• Krishonnati Yojana (KY)

PM-RKVY Features:
The PM-RKVY is designed to promote sustainable agricultural practices across India. It encompasses multiple initiatives aimed at improving soil health, promoting agroforestry, enhancing rainfed areas, and encouraging crop diversification. Key components of this scheme include:

• Soil Health Management
• Rainfed Area Development
• Agro-Forestry
• Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana
• Agricultural Mechanization, including Crop Residue Management
• Per Drop More Crop
• Crop Diversification Programme
• Accelerator Fund for Agri Startups

Krishonnati Yojana (KY) Features:
The KY focuses on ensuring food security and enhancing self-sufficiency in agriculture. It will also allow states to prepare Comprehensive Strategic Documents for their agriculture sectors, focusing on improving crop productivity, developing value chains for agricultural products, and addressing climate-resilient farming.

Objectives of Rationalisation:
The overarching goal of rationalising these schemes is to:

• Enhance Efficiency and Integration: By minimizing duplication, ensuring better coordination, and creating a more unified approach to agricultural initiatives.
• Address Emerging Agricultural Issues: These include concerns around nutrition security, sustainable farming, climate resilience, value chain development, and encouraging private sector participation.
• State-Specific Strategic Planning: States are empowered to create tailored plans based on their unique agricultural needs.
• Streamlined Approval Process: States will submit an Annual Action Plan (AAP) that covers all schemes, making the approval process faster and more efficient.

Key Facts Regarding the National Mission on Edible Oils – Oilseeds (NMEO-Oilseeds)
Mission Overview:
The NMEO-Oilseeds, launched by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, is designed to boost domestic oilseed production and reduce India’s reliance on edible oil imports. This initiative is part of the larger Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-reliant India) vision and aims to enhance the production of both primary and secondary oilseeds across the country.

Duration:
The mission will span seven years, from 2024-25 to 2030-31.

Mission Targets:
The NMEO-Oilseeds, in conjunction with the National Mission on Edible Oils-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP), aims to meet 72% of India’s domestic edible oil requirement by 2030-31, which will translate into a production of 25.45 million tonnes of edible oil. The mission also aims to expand oilseed cultivation by 40 lakh hectares, focusing on rice and potato fallow lands, promoting intercropping, and encouraging crop diversification.

Key Focus Areas:

1. Primary Oilseed Production:
   The mission targets an increase in production of key oilseed crops such as rapeseed-mustard, groundnut, soybean, sunflower, and sesamum. The goal is to raise production from 39 million tonnes in 2022-23 to 69.7 million tonnes by 2030-31.
2. Secondary Oilseed Sources:
   The mission also aims to improve the efficiency of extraction from secondary sources like cottonseed, rice bran, and tree-borne oils, which are critical in boosting overall oil production.
3. Technological Innovation:
   The mission will leverage cutting-edge technologies such as genome editing to develop high-quality seeds, thereby improving the yield and productivity of oilseeds.
4. SATHI Portal for Seed Management:
   The mission introduces a five-year rolling seed plan through the Seed Authentication, Traceability & Holistic Inventory (SATHI) Portal, which will facilitate partnerships between states and seed-producing agencies like cooperatives, farmer producer organizations (FPOs), and seed corporations.
5. Infrastructure Development:
   The mission will establish 65 new seed hubs and 50 seed storage units in the public sector to improve seed production and storage infrastructure.
6. Value Chain Clusters:
   Over 600 Value Chain Clusters will be developed across 347 districts, covering more than 10 lakh hectares annually. These clusters will provide farmers with access to high-quality seeds, training in Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), and advisory services for pest and weather management.
7. Post-Harvest Support:
   Support will be extended to FPOs, cooperatives, and industry stakeholders to establish or upgrade post-harvest facilities that will increase recovery from secondary oilseed sources like cottonseed, rice bran, and tree-borne oils.

Key Highlights of India’s Oilseed Production
India is the fourth largest producer of oilseeds in the world, contributing 10% of global production and covering 20.8% of the global oilseed area. In the 2022-23 period, India produced a record 413.55 lakh tonnes of oilseeds, a significant increase of 33.92 lakh tonnes compared to the previous year. India’s oilseed production includes a wide range of crops such as groundnut, soybean, sunflower, sesamum, mustard, safflower, and niger seed. Challenges:

• Rainfed Farming: About 72% of oilseed cultivation is done under rainfed conditions, primarily by small farmers, which leads to low productivity levels.
• Leading Producing States: The major oilseed-producing states include Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra, which together contributed 78% of total oilseed production in 2021-22.
• Imports: India heavily depends on imports for edible oils, which account for around 57% of the country's domestic edible oil demand.
  
  

Previous Measures to Promote Oilseed Production Several initiatives have already been undertaken to promote oilseed production in India:

• National Mission on Edible Oils-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP):
  Launched in 2021, NMEO-OP aims to increase the area under oil palm cultivation to 10 lakh hectares by 2025-26, with a focus on the North Eastern states. It also targets an increase in crude palm oil production to 11.2 lakh tonnes by 2025-26.
• Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Oilseeds:
  The government has raised the MSP for oilseeds to ensure fair prices for farmers. Programs like the Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) ensure that oilseed farmers receive adequate compensation for their produce.
• Import Duty Protection:
  To protect domestic oilseed producers, a 20% import duty on edible oils has been implemented. This measure aims to reduce the inflow of cheap imports and encourage local cultivation.

Key Takeaways
The rationalisation of centrally sponsored schemes and the launch of the NMEO-Oilseeds initiative are vital steps towards enhancing India's oilseed production capabilities, reducing dependence on imports, and aligning with the goal of achieving self-reliance in edible oils. By integrating modern technologies, expanding cultivation, and strengthening post-harvest infrastructure, these initiatives promise to significantly improve India’s oilseed sector and strengthen the agricultural value chain.

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