In the wake of Russia-Ukraine crisis, India's crude sunflower oil imports fell by 23 per cent to 5.70 lakh tonne between February 21 and June 30 of this year, Parliament was informed on Tuesday. Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, in his written reply to the Lok Sabha, said the major countries from which India imports sunflower oil are Ukraine, Russia and Argentina.
"Since February 21, 2022, to June 30, 2022, 5.70 lakh tonne of crude sunflower oil has been imported in the country as against import of 7.39 lakh tonne during the corresponding period in the previous year," Tomar said.
The minister was responding to a query if there was any impact on sunflower oil import due to recent instability in Ukraine and Russia.
Tomar said the country imported 20.45 lakh tonne of crude sunflower oil during 2021-22 fiscal, slightly lower than 21.75 lakh tonne in the previous year.
On steps taken to reduce import dependence on sunflower oil, Tomar said the government has been implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme National Food Security Mission- Oilseeds & Oil Palm (NFSM-OS&OP) from 2018-19 to augment the availability of edible oils by increasing the production and productivity of nine oilseed crops including sunflower and to reduce the import burden in the country.
The NFSM-OS is being implemented in 28 states and union territories during 2022-23.
The government has also approved a special project of Rs 43.53 crore to the ICAR- Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research, Hyderabad to increase area and production of sunflower cultivation in the country through hybrid seed production and demonstration for three years from 2022-23 to 2024-25, he added.
Source Name:-Economic Times