Edible Oilseeds-Growth and Area Responses

Growth and Area Responses K N Ninan India enjoys the distinction of having the largest cultivated area under oilseeds in the world. Yet the consumption levels of a crucial nutrient like oils and fats in the country are not only below the world average but also far below the minimum nutritional requirements prescribed by the ICMR. The domestic demand for vegetable oils and fats has been rising at a very fast pace whereas domestic output has lagged far behind the growth in demand, forcing the government to resort to large-scale imports of edible oils to bridge this shortfall. Making the country self-sufficient in its edible oil requirements has therefore been accorded priority in our development plans.