National Mission on Edible Oils – Oilseeds (NMEO-OS)

Objective

• Enhance domestic oilseed production and achieve self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat) in edible oils.

Mission Structure

• Creation of 600 Value Chain Clusters across India.
• Coverage of more than 10 lakh hectares annually through these clusters.

Research & Development Initiatives

• Consortia Research Platform on Hybrid Technology (since 2014–15)
  • Focus on development of hybrids for higher productivity in selected crops, including:
    • Oilseeds (Indian Mustard)
    • Pulses (Pigeonpea)
• Revival of Sunflower Cultivation Project
  • Production and distribution of 15,000 quintals of certified seeds of 10 hybrids.
  • Focused on major sunflower-growing regions.
• National Food Security Mission (NFSM)
  • Supports Front-Line Demonstrations (FLDs) on:
    • Pigeonpea
    • Sunflower
    • Castor hybrids
• Network Project on Pigeonpea
  • Aimed at enhancing production and productivity using short-duration, high-yielding varieties and hybrids.

Seed Quality & Distribution

• Establishment of Seed Hubs:
  • 34 Oilseeds Seed Hub Centres at ICAR institutes and State Agricultural Universities (SAUs).
  • 150 Pulses Seed Hub Centres for distribution and availability of quality seeds to farmers.

Research Coordination and Hybrid Release

• All India Coordinated Research Projects (AICRP) on oilseeds and pulses are the nodal agencies for:
  • Assessing yield performance and stability of hybrid technology.
  • Making final recommendations for release at the national level.
  • After notification, hybrids/varieties are included in the seed multiplication chain.

Field-Level Promotion

• Front-Line Demonstrations (FLDs) conducted:
  • To showcase production potential.
  • To estimate benefit-cost ratio of technologies.
  • Carried out under direct supervision of scientists on farmers’ fields for first-time demonstrations.

The NMEO-OS, along with focused hybrid research and seed distribution initiatives, is a comprehensive step towards boosting India’s oilseed productivity, ensuring seed quality, and promoting sustainable self-reliance in edible oil production.

Source: PIB