India's Dependence on Edible Oil Imports

India imports more than half of its vegetable oil consumption, costing Rs 1.31 trillion annually. This reliance on imports not only increases costs but also exposes India to supply vulnerabilities and global price fluctuations. Despite attempts since the late 1980s to boost oilseed production, import dependence has grown, prompting the launch of the "National Mission on Edible Oil" to achieve self-sufficiency.

Soybean Cultivation in India

• Soybean covers the largest area among oil crops in India, making up 34% of oil crop areas and contributing 23% of domestic vegetable oil production.
• In the early 1970s, the introduction of the Barag variety from the US led to a significant expansion in soybean cultivation.
• The area under soybean cultivation grew from 30,000 hectares in the 1970s to over 13 million hectares in 2022-23.
• Soybean production increased from 130,000 tonnes in the mid-1970s to 13.6 million tonnes by 2021-22.

Challenges in Soybean Production

• Soybean yield has remained stagnant at around one tonne per hectare for 45 years.
• The introduction of yellow-seeded soybean in the 1960s, which yielded three to four times more than traditional varieties, was a turning point.
• Despite initial success, domestic research has not significantly improved yields over the past five decades.

Global Comparison and Productivity Issues

• In the mid-1970s, US yields were double, and the world average was 60% higher than India's soybean yield.
• Currently, US and Brazil yields are 3.3 times, and world yields are 2.6 times that of India.
• Reasons for stagnant productivity include lack of collaboration with US institutions, India's ban on GM crops, and limited breakthroughs by national research systems.

Lessons and Recommendations

• Soybean's success in area diversification highlights the importance of superior germplasm through biotechnology and collaboration.
• India should enhance its biotechnology capabilities for crops like soybean and secure superior germplasm through global partnerships.
• Adopting GM varieties could significantly boost oilseed production and reduce import dependence.
• Expanding the cultivated area and increasing cropping intensity could improve self-sufficiency by 30%.