National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP)

India has a serious import dependency in edible oil. One of the biggest constraints to raising oilseed output has been that production is largely in rain-fed areas. Only one fourth of the oilseed producing area in the country remains under the irrigation.

In 1986, government had launched a Technology Mission on Oilseeds to improve productivity. This resulted in some growth but then growth in this field has been sluggish only. Current Government is promoting National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP) during 2012-17. This mission has some clear cut objectives such as:

• Increasing Seed Replacement Ratio (SRR) in oil crops with focus on Varietal Replacement;
• Increasing irrigation coverage under oilseeds from 26% to 36%;
• Diversification of area from low yielding cereals crops to oilseeds crops; inter-cropping of oilseeds with cereals/ pulses/ sugarcane;
• Use of fallow land after paddy /potato cultivation;
• Expansion of cultivation of Oil Palm and tree borne oilseeds in watersheds and wastelands;
• Increasing availability of quality planting material enhancing procurement of oilseeds and collection; and
• Processing of tree borne oilseeds.
• Inter-cropping during gestation period of oil palm and tree borne oilseeds would provide economic return to the farmers when there is no production.

The mission is implemented with funds in 75:25 Centre-state ratios. There are three mini missions in this scheme viz. Mini-mission-I, II and III. Mini Mission-I focuses on oilseeds; Mini Mission II on oil palm and Mini Mission III on tree-borne oilseed (TBOs).