Outcomes of oilseed and oil palm development programmes in India: A comprehensive review

Introduction

Oilseeds constitute one of the most important groups of crops globally, providing not only edible oils for human consumption but also protein-rich meal for livestock and raw materials for industrial use. According to FAO (2022), global demand for edible oils has been rising steadily due to population growth and dietary diversification. The World Health Organization (WHO, 2021) has highlighted that per capita consumption of vegetable oils globally increased from 18.5 kg in 2000 to over 27 kg in 2020, with projections of 32 kg by 2030. This trend places immense pressure on both production and trade systems. India holds a significant position in the global oilseed economy, cultivating nearly 20% of the world's oilseed area but contributing only about 6-7% of production due to lower yields (DAC&FW, 2023). Groundnut, rapeseed-mustard, soybean, and sunflower are the major oilseed crops grown. The demand-supply gap has widened over the time leading India to become the largest importer of edible oils, fulfilling more than half of its requirement from foreign markets. To promote oilseed production for self-sufficiency, many programmes were launched after independence in India as mentioned in the Table 1. The focus of early programmes such as the Maximized Production of Groundnut (1966) and the Intensive Oilseeds Development Programme (1974) was primarily on area expansion. In contrast, later initiatives including the National Oilseeds Development Project and the Technology Mission on Oilseeds (mid-1980s) marked a shift towards a technology-led productivity paradigm supported by integrated policy approaches. Subsequent integrated schemes such as ISOPOM (2004) emphasized production enhancement and input-use efficiency, whereas the National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP), launched in 2014, placed greater emphasis on yield improvement and area expansion to achieve sustainable growth in oilseed and oil palm production and reduce import dependence. Under Mission I and II of NMOOP, the major thrust was on seed replacement, yield enhancement, and production improvement for oilseeds, along with area expansion and productivity enhancement in oil palm through technology adoption (Table 1). In the year 2015-16, the programme 'Cluster Front Line Demonstrations' (CFLDs) on Oilseeds was initiated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer's welfare, Government of India, New Delhi under National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP). The division of Agricultural Extension, www.extensionjournal.com Indian Council Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi put responsibility to lay out CFLDs on important oilseed crops such as sesamum, rapeseed and linseed through Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVK) through eleven ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institutes (ATARI) all over India with an aim to increase the productivity of oilseeds throughout the country as the production of edible oil in India is still deficit as per requirement (Saikia et al. 2024) [17] .

Results

The state-wise oilseed area and production data reveal the effectiveness of developmental programmes across India between 2014 and 2024. Among states, Andhra Pradesh, a historically important groundnut and sesame producer, experienced a contraction in cultivated oilseed area by 15.4%, decreasing from 1. [19] . Uttar Pradesh demonstrated robust growth with a 16% increase in oilseed area (from 1.11 million to 1.28 million hectares), translating into a substantial 29.3% production increase to 1.16 million tonnes. Gujarat observed a noticeably reduced groundnut and mustard area by nearly 12%, resulting in a 16.9% production fall of over 1 million tonnes. Jharkhand, while stable in area, registered a remarkable production gain of over 50%, highlighting yield improvements likely due to focused extension and technology transfer. Several northeastern and hilly states such as Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Mizoram, and Meghalaya displayed moderate area expansion (up to ~30%) with corresponding moderate to strong production rises, evidencing the spread of oilseed cultivation into new territories. In Madhya Pradesh, Cluster Frontline Demonstration trials were conducted under the supervision of scientists at farmers' fields; however, a yield gap between potential and demonstration yields still exists which ranges from 1.90 q/ha in blackgram variety Pratap urd 1 to 8.60q/ha in soybean JS95-60. This may be due to soil fertility, weather and agro-climatic condition (Singh et al. 2018) [18] . The states of Karnataka and Odisha showed mixed trends. Karnataka's oilseed area decreased by 3.7%, but production declined significantly by 30.1% indicating challenges in productivity or crop shifts. Odisha showed a 3.7% dip in area accompanied by a steep 35.2% production decline, illustrating regional constraints such as climatic stress or input limitations. Punjab and West Bengal maintained relatively stable oilseed areas with small growth www.extensionjournal.com (<5%) and moderate production increases (+9.3% and +15.8% respectively), reflecting steady regional performance. Conversely, Kerala and Goa's oilseed areas reduced considerably with production dropping proportionately, suggesting limited expansion scope in these regions. The oilseed crop yields recorded by farmers prior to FLD activities were 2.1, 9.5 and 5.96 q ha⁻¹ for sesame, soybean and mustard, respectively. These yields increased to 6.2, 15.67 and 14.01 q ha⁻¹ following FLD interventions. The increase in yield was found to be 195, 63.34 and 135 per cent respectively for sesame, soybean and mustard crop. Thus, it is clear that the FLD programme had a positive impact over the existing practices in enhancing the oilseed crop productivity (Singh et al.2014) [16] . Overall, this data underscores varied regional responses to national oilseed development programmes. States such as Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Jharkhand exemplify positive programme impact with area or yield increases driving production gains. The analysis reveals that India's oilseed sector has undergone noteworthy development over the past decades, supported by national programmes, technological adoption, and policy initiatives. Oilseed production has steadily increased from about 34.9 million metric tonnes (MMT) in 2010-11 to 41.9 MMT by 2024-25 (USDA FAS, 2025; DES, 2024). This 20.6% growth signals advance in crop management, high-quality seed adoption, and area expansion in key states, particularly Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh (India Stat, 2025; ICAR-IIOR, 2025). Exports of oilseeds remain much lower but have gradually increased, highlighting niche successes in valueadded or quality products. Despite increased production, India continues to import major quantities of edible oils such as palm oil, which yield more oil per hectare compared to many traditional oilseeds (IBEF, 2024). Between 2010 and 2025, the oilseed area in India increased only marginally (10.2%), while production rose by 57.5%. Productivity improved from 947 kg ha⁻¹ in 2010 to 1,352 kg ha⁻¹ in 2025, reflecting a 42.7% gain. These improvements are largely attributable to varietal replacement, improved agronomic practices, and targeted interventions through government schemes. Despite productivity gains, India's edible oil import dependency remains a major challenge. Imports rose from 9.0 Mt in 2010 to 16.0 Mt in 2025, reflecting a 77.8% increase. The share of imports in domestic demand remained between 52-59%, indicating persistent dependency. Palm oil dominates imports, followed by soybean and sunflower oils. [20] .

Conclusion

The analysis clearly indicates that India's oilseed sector has progressed substantially from an area-expansion-oriented approach to a technology-driven and policy-integrated development pathway. National programmes such as the Technology Mission on Oilseeds, ISOPOM, and particularly the National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP), supported by Cluster Frontline Demonstrations (CFLDs), have contributed to notable gains in productivity, yield stabilization, and farmer income enhancement across several key states. Productivity improvements-rising by over 40% between 2010 and 2025-demonstrate the effectiveness of improved varieties, seed replacement, and better agronomic practices disseminated through extension mechanisms. However, despite these achievements, the persistent demand-supply gap and increasing edible oil imports highlight structural challenges, including regional disparities, climatic vulnerabilities, limited area expansion potential, and slower adoption of technologies in some states. The mixed state-level performance underscores the need for region-specific strategies, stronger extension outreach, climate-resilient varieties, and improved market and supply-chain integration. Overall, while oilseed development programmes have delivered measurable benefits, achieving long-term self-sufficiency will require sustained investment in innovation, adaptive policy support, and enhanced farmer capacity building to reduce import dependency and ensure sectoral sustainability.

Funding: This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-forprofit sectors.

Declaration of Competing Interest:

The authors declare that there are no known financial or personal conflicts of interest that could have influenced the work reported in this study.

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