 "Mustard seed output may touch all-time high of 12 mn tonnes this year: SEA")
Mustard seed production is likely to touch an all-time high of 12 million tonnes in the 2023-24 season in view of a record sown area of 10 million hectares, according to the industry body SEA.
Mustard seed is an important oilseed crop grown during the rabi (winter) season during September-October and harvested in February-March.
In a statement, the Solvent Extractors' Association of India (SEA) said the concerted efforts to expand the area through the mustard model farm project, coupled with favourable weather and prices, India has witnessed a remarkable increase in mustard production year after year.
The mustard seed production, which stood at 8.6 million tonnes in 2020-21, has increased to 8.80 million tonnes in the 2022-23 season.
"The production of mustard seed is likely to touch an all-time high of 12 million tonnes in the 2023-24 season," the SEA said.
This will help boost the domestic supplies of edible oils, it added.
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According to the SEA, the mustard model farm project was incepted in 2020-21 with 400 model farms in five districts of Rajasthan only. Now, the number of model farms is more than 3,500 spread across five states, including Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka.
In India, rapeseed and mustard accounts for nearly one-third of edible oil produced through primary sources, making it the country's key edible oilseed crop.
The SEA said rapeseed and mustard seed are among the most promising oilseed crops for reducing dependence on edible oil imports.
India depends on imports of edible oils to meet the shortages. The total import of edible oils stood at 16.47 million tonnes in the 2022-23 oil year (November-October).