Growth trends, trade and self-sufficiency in oilseed sector in India

This research paper provides a comprehensive analysis of India's oilseed sector spanning from 1949 to 2021, examining key aspects such as production, consumption, trade dynamics, and pricing trends. A gradual expansion in oilseed was indicated by compond annual growth rates in area (1.34%), production (2.86% and productivity (1.53%), albeit with higher instability in production. Analysis of edible oil production, import, and consumption trends from 1995 to 2021 indicates a significant shift towards growing reliance on imports, with domestic production averaging 83.90 lakh tonnes and imports averaging 83.49 lakh tonnes, leading to a decline in self-sufficiency from 64.98 percent to 44.30 percent. While domestic production and availability of edible oils show steady growth to the tune of 2.29 percent and 2.51 percent respectively. however, imports recorded growth at substantially 9.36 percent, surpassing domestic production growth. Pricing trends analysis from 2001 to 2021 reveals a dynamic nature of export and import prices, with export prices growing at a CAGR of 7.18 percent and import prices at 7.39 percent. The research underscores need to minimize the reliance on imports to bridge the gap between domestic production and consumption and emphasizing the need for strategic interventions to ensure stability and sustainability.