In an online event, PM Narendra Modi announced of a National Edible Oil Mission-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) in approach to make India self-reliant in cooking oils. Modi Tweeted, “The government will invest more than Rs.11,000 crore via National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm to provide farmers everything possible, including better seeds and technology. When India is emerging as a major exporter of farm goods, we should not depend on imports for our edible oil requirements.”
PM Modi pointed out that it is not enough for India to be Aatamanirbhar(self-sufficient) only in production of rice, wheat and sugar because India is highly dependent on imports for edible oils. He stressed over the issue and introduced NMEO-OP. Under this Kisan(farmers) scheme, the government will ensure that farmers get all the facilities, providing them with quality seeds to technology to promote farmers produce palm oil and other oil seeds. He suggested that farmers from Andaman and Nicobar Islands can be promoted to do palm farming.
India produces less than half of the roughly 2.4 crore tonnes of edible oil that it consumes annually rest is imported from various countries from around the world. India’s oilseed production is nearly six times lesser than of rice and wheat and the import of vegetable oils have surged from 40 lakh to 1.5 crore tonnes only in two decades, industry officials said. In urge for better taste for calorie-laden curry and fried food, India might reach 20 million of imports by 2030.
