Rising oilseeds sowing may drop edible oil imports

The increasing kharif sowing, particularly oilseeds in the country, is likely to moderate the dependence on imported oil in the current year.

According to the official data of the agriculture ministry, the area under kharif oilseeds crop as on August 19, 2010, showed an increase of about 4 lakh hectares during the week and was reported at 161.40 compared to 153.19 lakh tonnes at the same time of the last year.

The upbeat kharif sowing statistics in India was likely to moderate the dependence on imported oil in the current year.

The agriculture ministry also informed that the area under groundnut had increased to 48.01 lakh hectares compared to 37.14 lakh hectares during the corresponding period last year.

In Andhra Pradesh, the groundnut sowing was sharply increased to 13.17 hectares compared to 5.21 lakh hectares last year. Soyabean acreage in the key growing region of Madhya Pradesh had increased but marginally. The acreage had surged by 2.8 lakh hectares; however Maharashtra showed negative growth.

Source: http://www.fnbnews.com/article/detnews.asp?articleid=28176&sectionid=34