NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY MISSION (NFSM) – OILSEEDS AND OIL PALM
21, Dec 2019
Prelims level : Agriculture, Ignorance, Subsidy, Marketing
Mains level : GS-III Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and Minimum Support Prices, Public Distribution System – objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping, issues of buffer stocks and food security; Technology Missions; Economics of Animal Rearing.
Why in News?
- The Government is implementing the National Food Security Mission (NFSM) – Oilseeds and Oil Palm to increase production of oilseeds and domestic availability of Edible Oils.
NFSM – Oilseeds and Oil Palm:
- This scheme is under implementation in 29 States and has three subcomponents namely, Oilseeds, Oil palm and Tree Borne Oilseeds (TBOs).
- The main objective is to increase oilseeds production & productivity and area expansion under oil palm & TBOs cultivation.
Objectives of NFSM:
- Increasing the production of rice, wheat, pulses, coarse cereals (maize and barley) and nutri-cereals through area expansion and productivity enhancement in a sustainable manner in the identified districts of the country.
- Restoring soil fertility and productivity at the individual farm level.
- Enhancing farm level economy (i.e. farm profits) to restore confidence amongst the Farmers.
Oilseeds Agriculture in India:
- India is one of the major oilseeds grower and importer of edible oils.
- India’s vegetable oil economy is the world’s fourth-largest after USA, China & Brazil.
- Oilseeds account for 13% of the Gross Cropped Area, 3% of the Gross National Product and 10% value of all agricultural commodities.
- The diverse agro-ecological conditions in the country are favourable for growing 9 annual oilseed crops, which include 7 edible oilseeds (groundnut, rapeseed & mustard, soybean, sunflower, sesame, safflower and niger) and two non-edible oilseeds (castor and linseed).
- Oilseeds cultivation is undertaken across the country in about 27 million hectares mainly on marginal lands, of which 72% is confined to rain-fed farming.
- During the last few years, the domestic consumption of edible oils has increased substantially and has touched the level of 18.90 million tonnes in 2011-12 and is likely to increase further.
- A substantial portion of our requirement of edible oil is met through import of palm oil from Indonesia and Malaysia.