Analysis of Production Gap, Marketing and Processing Status and Associated Constraints for Major Oilseeds in the States of Rajasthan and Gujarat

A micro level survey was conducted in the districts of Junagadh (Gujarat) and Bharatpur (Rajasthan), for groundnut and rapeseed-mustard respectively, during 2010–11 with the aim to analyze the major constraints in cultivation, processing and marketing of oilseed production. The study identified irrigation, nutrient supply, availability of quality seed, and the crop specific-production constraints in terms of technology and the institutional infrastructure as the major determinants of oilseed production growth and input-use efficiency. In oilseeds processing sector, it was found that better integration between the expelling and solvent extraction sections of the industry can improve the overall efficiency of the oilseed sector. The edible oil industry should take initiatives to increase oilseed production by promoting contract farming in this sector. The outcome from the study also provided a strong indication that the pricing and market mechanism prevailing for oilseed crop produce are far from satisfactory as far as the primary producers are concerned. This dissatisfaction with the market mechanism needs to be addressed to enthuse farmers towards higher production and productivity in oilseed crops to bridge the demand supply gap of vegetable oils of the country.