AHMEDABAD: With the sowing of mustard in Punjab beginning from mid October to November agriculture scientist at the Punab Agriculture University (PAU)predict prices to remain stable.
"The
estimated higher global and domestic oilseeds production due to higher
acreage and favorable weather conditions is likely to keep
rapeseed-mustard prices stable during the coming marketing season, "said
Dr Jagrup Singh Sidhu,
in charge, Agricultural Market Intelligence Centre (AMIC), Department
of Economics and Sociology, PAU. He added that zero import tariffs on
edible oils would continue to encourage sufficient imports of palm and
other edible oils which is likely to increase by 4 %to reach 9 million
tons.
Mustard, one of the most important oilseed crops in India,
contributes around 35% in total vegetable oil production to the country.
"As part of our research we expect prices in the range of Rs 2250-2450
per quintal during April and May, 2012, depending on the government
edible oil import policy and trends in the international edible oil
prices,"said Dr Sidhu. Market prices of rapeseed-mustard in the major
growing states ruled between Rs. 2250-2700 during 2010-11. The
government increased the minimum support price of mustard from Rs 1850
to Rs 2120 per quintal for the marketing season 2011-12.
The
centre also wish to add that mustard oil is the third most important
edible oil produced in the world after soy oil and palm oil, said Dr
Sidhu, revealing that the global oilseed supplies and ending stocks for
the year 2010-11 are estimated higher due to increase in production by
2.8 million tons at 447 million tons. However, the world production of
rapeseed-mustard is estimated to decline during 2010-2011 from 60.5
million tons to 57.2 million tons due to lower crops in major mustard
producing countries such as European Union, China and Canada, he said.
Dr
Sidhu said that the production of rapeseed-mustard in the country was
estimated at 7.1 million tonnes with area under the crop increasing by
11% at 7.2 million hectares compared to the last year. Rajasthan the
leading mustard producing state in India contributing about 45% of total
production followed by Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat
and West Bengal. Hapur, Jaipur, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Indore, Alwar,
Bharatpur and Sri Ganganagar were the major trading centres for this
crop.
In Punjab, the area and production of rapeseed-mustard
slightly increased from 27,000 hectares and 35,000 tonnes during 2009-10
to 28,000 hectares and 38,000 tonnes during 2010-11 respectively. The
major proportion of the area is concentrated in districts of Ferozepur,
Bathinda, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur and Mansa. Most of the rapeseed-mustard produce is marketed during April and May.
Posted in: Economy
