Implementation of Edible Oil Mission Schemes Begins
24-Dec-2025 05:07 PM
New Delhi: The Central Government had launched the Edible Oil-Oilseeds Mission this year with the objective of reducing the country's dependence on imported edible oils from the current level of 57 percent to 28 percent over the next seven years, and has now started implementing various measures and schemes under it.
These plans include expanding the use of improved varieties/strains of various oilseed seeds, establishing clusters of crushing and processing units at the local level, ensuring adequate procurement of oilseeds from farmers at Minimum Support Price (MSP), and promoting oilseed cultivation even during the summer season.
The National Mission on Edible Oil-Oilseeds has a very ambitious objective and target, therefore, it requires taking many different kinds of steps.
India has been the world's leading importer of edible oils for many years, and in recent years, its imports have increased significantly.
A huge amount of money is spent on edible oil imports, which puts immense pressure on the national treasury.
Currently, 57 percent of the country's demand and need for edible oils is met through imports, while this mission aims to reduce dependence on edible oil imports by more than 50 percent to 28 percent by 2032. Due to the massive imports, the Indian edible oil market is now largely driven by the global market.
According to senior official sources in the Union Ministry of Agriculture, in the 2025-26 season, newly developed and improved varieties of soybean, mustard, groundnut, and sunflower seeds were used across more than 11 lakh hectares nationally.
These seeds were released for commercial cultivation. The objective is to replace older varieties of seeds with new ones to significantly increase the productivity rate of oilseed crops.
In addition, under this mission, approval has been granted for the establishment of 263 oil extraction units across the country by Farmers Producer Organizations (FPOs), private firms, and cooperative societies.
According to official sources, 1076 value chain clusters have been identified in 500 districts of the country to boost oilseed production and processing, covering a total area of 12.90 lakh hectares.
The establishment of one oil extraction unit costs approximately ₹30 lakh, of which the government will provide a subsidy of ₹7 lakh.