Rapeseed oil production in India this year is expected to be around 20% lower than last year, due to the decline in the area under cultivation. According to the Mustard Oil Producers Association (MOPA), against production of seven million tonnes rapeseed oil achieved last year, the output this year is pegged at 5.5 million tonnes.
MOPA President Babul Lal Data said the area under tarmira (rapeseed) this year has declined mainly in Rajasthan, the prominent rapeseed-mustard growing area in India.
While the area for mustard in the state this year is about 2.53 million hectares, area under rapeseed is just around 100,000 hectares, down from 500,000 hectares last year.
D P Khandelia, Chairman, Solvent Extractors Association (SEA) - Rapeseed–Mustard Promotion Council, said that rapeseed-mustard area this year is down 5% at around 6.53 million hectares, compared with 6.91 million hectares last year. Mustard along taramira is crushed to produce rapeseed oil.
Mustard oil producers maintain last year was golden period for rapeseed, since production reached was all time high of 7 million tonnes.
According to a SEA report, import of rapeseed oil during 2010-11 (November-October) was 11,000 tonnes compared with 14,000 tonnes in the corresponding period the previous year.
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MOPA claims weather conditions, especially during November and December, have not been conducive for the rapeseed crop , but rainfall in January might help improve productivity.