New Delhi, Nov 13 (PTI) India''s oilseed production is estimated to have gone up by over 12 per cent to 15.4 million tonnes in the kharif season of 2010-11 crop year, edible oil industry body COOIT today said.
The country had produced 13.7 million tonnes of oilseeds in the same period last year.
The Kharif oilseeds production data released by Central Organisation for Oil Industry and Trade (COOIT) is, however, lower than the government''s estimate of 17.2 million tonnes for the same period.
Production of soyabean, the largest summer-sown oilseed crop, is projected to be higher at 9.35 million tonnes this Kharif, against 8.5 million tonnes in 2009-10 Kharif season.
Similarly, groundnut production is estimated to rise to 4.1 million tonnes from 3.29 million tonnes in the review period, but sunflower seed output is estimated to be lower at 0.13 million tonnes, against 0.32 million tonnes in 2009-10 Kharif season because of sharp reduction in the acreage.
"Groundnut output is expected to be really good in this Kharif due to increased acreage. Farmers have sown groundnut in 4.98 million hectare in this Kharif, against 4.5 million hectare in year-ago," an expert on the vegetable oil industry Govindbhai G Patel told PTI.
While the area covered under sunflower seed has reduced by 50 per cent this year as farmers are not getting required yields, he said.
COOIT further said that production of mustard seeds in the 2010-11 kharif season is projected at 100,000 tonnes, at part with last year level. While castor seed output is estimated at 1.18 million tonnes and nigerseed at 100,000 tonnes in the review period.
India''s edible oil imports will continue to rise in the 2010-11 marketing year starting November as production lags consumption, Patel said.
India is the world''s second-largest vegetable oil importer after China. It imports nearly half of its edible oil needs.