The Hindu Business Line : Oilseeds output may be hit

"Oilseeds output will definitely be lower this year. But the percentage of decline will have to be ascertained," according to Mr B.V. Mehta, Executive Director, Solvent Extractors Association of India.

Though monsoon finally hit central and north-western parts of the country last week, it has been delayed by a fortnight. However, the rainfall has been sporadic and insufficient, according to industry sources.

"For example, in Saurashtra, there have been only showers and no good rainfall," Mr Mehta said.

Saurashtra is one of the main regions for groundnut crop during the kharif season.

According to Mr Rajesh Agrawal, soyabean production also faces problem in view of poor rainfall, particularly in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. "While the rains can help the crop that have been sown, it is not enough for the second round of sowing," he said.

Both Mr Mehta and Mr Agrawal said even if the coverage were to be around last year's level, the per hectare yield could be hit in view of the delay in the monsoon setting in and lower amount of rainfall.

"Regions such as Vidarbha, where soyabean is sown, have not got good rainfall," Mr Mehta said.

Mr Agrawal said the Nimad area in Madhya Pradesh, where soyabean is grown on a large scale, has been affected due to a wide gap between the pre-monsoon showers and setting in of the monsoon.

According to industry sources, germination in the area has been hit due to this and replanting would be required.

"Even for replanting, we need good rains. In such a situation, we doubt if it is possible," Mr Mehta said.

Mr Agrawal said only 75 per cent of the normal area of 62.9 lakh hectares (lh) under soyabean has been covered so far. "We will have to watch the next three to four days to find out if we can do something," he said.

According to the India Meteorological Department, between June 1 and July 14, rainfall has been lower by 44 per cent in west Madhya Pradesh, nearly 50 per cent in Rajasthan, 30 per cent in Saurashtra, 35 per cent in rest of Gujarat and 36 per cent in Vidarbha .

Till July 7, the area under soyabean was down at 33.80 lh against 39.15 lh last year, while in the case of groundnut, it was up at 28.69 lh against 25.12 lh last year. Coverage of sunflower has exceeded the normal area of four lh at 4.6 lh, thanks to good rains in Karnataka.

"In view of a bleak outlook, we expect the crushing units to face problem due to lack of raw materials," Mr Mehta said. Last year, a record 148.8 lakh tonnes of oilseeds were produced during the kharif season, while during the rabi season, the production was 90 lakh tonnes.

"It is too early to make any estimate on the production front," industry sources said.

Meanwhile, farmers in rain deficient areas have been advised by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research not to transplant paddy till the rainfall pattern revives, particularly in Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh. The council has asked farmers to divert area from paddy to maize and pulses.

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