Patiala: A farmer work in his mustard field | Photo Credit: PTI

The Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA) has said that higher MSP (minimum support price) for rabi crops is an opportunity to strengthen mustard production in the country.

In his monthly letter to SEA members on Wednesday, Angshu Mallick, President of SEA, said the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved increases in MSP for all mandated rabi crops for the 2027-28 marketing season. The MSP for rapeseed and mustard has been increased by ₹413 per quintal to ₹6,613, and safflower by ₹675 per quintal to ₹7,215.

“For India’s edible oil economy, improved price assurance for mustard can encourage farmers to maintain or expand cultivation and invest in better farm practices. However, the effectiveness of MSP support will depend equally on procurement arrangements, market access and the prices farmers actually realise. SEA will continue to support initiatives that improve oilseed productivity, strengthen domestic processing and make oilseed cultivation more remunerative for farmers,” he said.

He said the kharif oilseed acreage in the country stood at 196.66 lakh hectares as of October 2 compared with 195.55 lakh hectares a year earlier. While overall coverage has increased marginally, crop-wise trends remain mixed.

Soybean acreage was marginally lower at 123.16 lakh hectares, while groundnut remained broadly unchanged at around 51 lakh hectares. Sesame recorded an increase to 11.23 lakh hectares, and sunflower acreage rose to 1.29 lakh hectares.

Castor acreage, however, declined to 8.97 lakh hectares. In Gujarat, total oilseed acreage fell to 30.28 lakh hectares from 31.95 lakh hectares last year, with groundnut coverage declining to 20.70 lakh hectares, he said.

On oilseed trade, he said India exported 2.64 lakh tonnes (lt) of oilseeds valued at ₹3,324.05 crore during April-July 2026-27, and imports reached 6.75 lt worth ₹3,733.55 crore, resulting in a trade deficit of 4.11 lt in volume and ₹409.50 crore in value.

Groundnut and sesame supported exports, while soybean dominated imports, underscoring the need to improve domestic productivity, seed quality, farm economics and value-chain linkages to reduce import dependence.

Mallick said the vegetable oil and oilseed sector is navigating a changing global environment shaped by biofuel policies, shifting trade flows, price volatility and growing demand. These developments call for proactive policy engagement, diversified sourcing, stronger domestic oilseed production and greater value addition within India.

“As an association, we must continue to work collectively to safeguard the interests of our industry while building a more resilient and sustainable edible oil ecosystem,” he said.

Published on October 21, 2026