Oil producers’ body to establish model groundnut farms in MP, Rajasthan

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Solvent Extractors Association (SEA) of India, which has been supporting Establishment of rapeseed mustard model farms And Castor, now has similar plans for Peanuts as well.

The management committee of SEA, which met on June 16, decided to establish 100-150 pilot peanut farms in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan during the current season.

In his monthly message to members, Ajay Jhunjhunwala, President of SEA India, said peanuts are a staple crop and need more attention for productivity.

Given our experience in Castor and Typical mustard plantation Projects, the Management Committee decided at the meeting held on June 16, 2023, to extend the Peanut Model Farm Project.

Urging the stakeholders to support the project financially, he said the contribution qualifies as a CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) activity under Section 135 of the Companies Act 2013.

He stated that SEA and Solidaridad had been working on rapeseed model plantations for the past four years, and said that the results were very encouraging with increased productivity.

Referring to the SEA team’s meeting with Manoj Ahuja, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare, in New Delhi in June, Jhunjhunwala said he appreciated SEA’s role in promoting model mustard plantations.

Ahuja also wished to know the names of companies interested in establishing palm oil plantations in the northeast, and asked the association to prepare a memorandum on the challenges and opportunities in oil palm cultivation from the point of view of the industry. Ahuja also agreed to support a delegation of interested companies visiting the Northeast to explore the opportunity, he said.

MSP

welcome The government’s decision to increase the MSP (Minimum Support Price) for the fall crops, He said that the government should buy into the MSP. Currently, rapeseed is quoted at ₹5,100 a quintal as against an MSP of 5,450 per quintal. Pointing out that the mustard growers were completely demoralized, he said that it was quoted at ₹7000-7500 quintals at the time of sowing.

In Haryana, the price of sunflower seeds has fallen to well below the MSP of $6,400 a quintal, which has led to protests by farmers.

He pointed out that this may lead to a decrease in the area planted with soybeans in the fall and mustard in the spring, and the total production of oilseeds.

Thai palm

Referring to the recent visit by PV Mehta, CEO of SEA, Suresh Motwani, General Manager (Oilseeds) of Solidaridad, and Kailash Singh, Managing Director of Tefla, to Thailand to understand its palm oil complex, Jhunjhunwala said the CPO Thai (crude palm oil) producers and exporters are keen to develop direct relationship with Indian importers and refiners. SEA is expecting a delegation from Thailand to attend the Annual General Meeting of SEA and Globoil India during September 28-30.

At the invitation of the Thai government, SEA plans to depute a trade delegation during the last week of August to study the Thai palm oil complex and develop a direct relationship with producers and exporters, he said.