Rapeseed-mustard output may decline 12 per cent this year on unfavourable weather and frost, traders say.
Lower acreage followed by a frosty winter would limit the rapeseed-mustard crop size to six million tonnes (mt) this year.
According to early indications from a field survey of farms and traders by the Solvent Extractors Association (SEA), the total area under mustard was 7.24 million hectares in 2010, while the output was 6.85 mt. The Mustard Oil Producers Association (Mopa) along with SEA, is currently conducting a survey to determine the rapeseed-mustard output. The report is expected on February 26.
According to initial estimates, traders believe acreage to be 6.6 million hectares and output around six mt this year.
However, D P Khandelia, chairman, SEA Rapeseed-Mustard Promotion Council, said the output may slip below six mt to around 5.5 mt.
Rajasthan is the main producer of rapeseed-mustard, which is a rabi crop with nearly half of the total crop sown in the state.
Frost has damaged the rabi crop in some states. In Haryana, it damaged the mustard crop in some districts and the state government is making efforts to get compensation from the Centre for its farmers. However, traders maintain oil percentage in the crop would be 1.5 per cent more this year compared to the previous year, owing to harvesting after the complete crop cycle. Weather this year has been helpful in ensuring the rapeseed-mustard crop complete its cycle, which has improved the oil percentage. This would help offset loss in production to some extent.