ICAR seeks fund for boosting production of pulses, oilseeds

Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) on Thursday said that
Rs. 347 crore has been sought from the Union government for promoting
the cultivation of oilseeds and pulses in the country.


"In the 11th five year plan, special efforts will be made to bring
more area under oilseed and pulses. For this purpose, Rs 210 crore to
promote pulses cultivation and Rs 137 crore to promote oilseeds
cultivation has been demanded from the Government of India," ICAR,
Assistant Director General (Oilseeds and Pulses) V.P.Patil said at the
Annual Group Meeting of All India Coordinated Research Project on
Sunflower and Castor in Ludhiana.

He said although oilseed production in the country had doubled ever
since the pre-green revolution era, the production level was far lower
than the potential.



"There is a big gap in productivity of oilseed crop at research fields
and farmers' field. We must identify the areas where we are lacking",
he said.

A lot needs to be invested in the extension agencies to transfer
knowledge to farmers' field, the ICAR official said.

Punjab Agricultural University Vice-Chancellor Manjit Singh Kang said,
"because of their nutritional and economic factors, oilseed crops are
set to regain their important role in nutritional food security.
Special attention is needed to improve the production and protection
technologies of these crops".


Highlighting the importance of oilseeds, Kang said India has emerged
as the largest importer of edible oil in the world. "Almost 50 percent
of domestic demand is met through imports, which is of great concern
at a time when international prices are increasing", he pointed out.

He stressed that there was a need to develop spring season short-
duration hybrid varieties to fit sunflower in the existing cropping
pattern involving wheat, paddy, potato, cotton, pearl millet and
maize.

"This will give an impetus to sunflower cultivation specially in
northern India", Kang said.

At the same time potential of the existing technologies need to be
improved to increase the sunflower yield," he added.