India's oilseed exports may grow by 10-15% this fiscal: Exporters

New Delhi: India's oilseed exports are expected to grow by 10-15 percent during this fiscal as traders are getting good orders from regions like Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Africa, according to exporters. In 2022-23, the oilseed exports rose by over 20 percent to USD 1.33 billion (around Rs 10,900 crore). The main oilseeds exported by the country are groundnut, sesame, soyabean, castor, niger, and sunflower.

Soyabean & groundnut occupy 61% & 23% respectively of the total kharif oilseeds area

Former Chairman Indian Oilseeds and Produce Export Promotion Council (IOPEPC) Khushwant Jain said that the order books are good and "we expect healthy growth this year also." Soyabean and groundnut occupy 61 percent and 23 percent respectively of the total kharif oilseeds area, he said adding that the planting of sunflower stands at 19.7 percent and sesame at 12.4 percent.

Significant increase in acreage will help in boosting production: Jain

Jain said that Madhya Pradesh alone has one-third (34.64 percent) of the national oilseeds area followed by Maharashtra (22 percent), Gujarat (13.53 percent), Rajasthan (11.43 percent), Karnataka (5.04 percent), Andhra Pradesh (5.02 percent), Uttar Pradesh (2.66 percent), Telangana (1.74 percent) and Tamil Nadu (1.21 percent). "Significant increase in acreage will help in boosting production this year and this means we will be able to export more," Jain said.

Key export destinations

The key export destinations for India are Indonesia, Vietnam, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, and the European Union. Indian Oilseeds and Produce Export Promotion Council (IOPEPC) Vice-chairman Rutuparna Dole said that going by the current situation, "we expect a growth of 10-15 percent."

Groundnut & sesame seeds account for 80-85% of total oilseed exports

Dole said that groundnut and sesame seeds account for 80-85 percent of total oilseed exports. "The government is providing a lot of support to us. They are giving certified seeds to farmers, which is very important. We are conducting awareness programmes," Dole added.

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