Agartala, January 12, 2023: Consumers had to buy edible oil by paying historic high prices because of record prices in the international market and the country’s high dependence on imports to meet its demand. Influenced by high prices of soybean and palm oil, prices of mustard, farmers were encouraged to expand cultivation of the oilseed.
During the current cultivation season that began from mid-October, farmers have sown mustard on 30 hectares under Bishalgarh Agri-Sector in Sepahijala district of Tripura which is the highest in recent decades, as per data available in the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.
“Many farmers in our locality have cultivated mustard in an increased area to profit from higher prices of edible oil in the market. And we are expecting a good profit this year,” said farmer Ashit Bhattacharjee over phone to Northeast Today.
He added “Soybean oil is still dearer. Besides, many people now prefer mustard oil to soybean oil.
It is worthy to mention here that Tripura’s 90 percent of the requirement is met through imported oil from outside the state.
“Locally, the production of oilseeds, particularly mustard, has increased too, but at a much slower pace. For the current season, the planting area has expanded for high prices of mustard, availability of fertiliser, seed (Variety MP 27 and MP 25) and incentive offered by the Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare department for farmers to cultivate oilseeds. The respected department is currently implementing NFSM Mustard and RGP project to increase production of mustard in an effort to meet edible oil requirement through locally produced oilseeds by fiscal year 2024-25,” said Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare department officials.
“Under the scheme, the government is providing seeds and fertiliser to interested farmers to produce oilseeds farmers’ enthusiasm buoyed the acreage. Farmers are making profit at the current prices,” he said.
Two farmers yesterday said the prices of freshly harvested mustard were selling at around Rs 78 to 80 per kilogram in the Nabinagar, Pathalia, Golaghati area under Bishalgarh sub-division.
Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare visited Bishalgarh Agri-Sector for inspecting mustard cultivation under NFSM scheme.
According to the Joint Director level officials of the Ministry, “We are encouraging farmers to grow the relatively long duration but high yielding PM 27 variety in Tripura. Farmers can earn Rs 62,000 cultivating 1 hectare of mustard. Cost of cultivation is approximately Rs 25,000 per hectare while profit stands at Rs 37,000 per hectare and in one kani, farmers earn Rs 7,000 profit.”
“We will take more initiative in the coming years to increase cultivation of oilseeds and Honeybee,” said Superintendent of Agriculture in Bishalgarh.
