Plan to raise oilseed production to 4 crore tonnes

Indore, Oct 3(UNI) Central Organisation of Oil Industry and Trade Chairman Davish Jain has stressed the need for united efforts by oilseed farmers, processers and agriculture scientists to increase oilseed production to 4 crore tonnes in three years thereby reducing dependency on imported edible oil to 20 percent.

Mr Jain, who is also Managing Director of Indore based Prestige Group said he would make full attempts in the direction of achieving the target of one crore tonne production each in three main oilseeds Groundnut, Soybean and Mustard in the next three years.

The project envisages production of one crore tonne of six other oilseeds, he said in a statement here.

After achieving the target of 4 crore tonnes, dependency on imported edible oil would get reduced to 20 percent from the present 40 percent, he added.

Mr Jain was elected Chairman of COOIT, the apex body of oil and oilseed industry, for two years term. More than 40 organisations and industrial groups are members of COOIT which has a key role in recommendation of policy matters to centre and state governments.

In enhancing the production of oilseeds, Mr Jain said, the focus would be on the oilseeds whose per hectare yield is much lower than the world's average yield. Increase in production would flourish the opportunities of processing industry and also the trade.

Earlier, Mr Jain was Chairman of the Soybean Processers Association of India for two terms.

UNI AA SP 1340