Directorate of Oilseeds Development (DOD), Hyderabad is a subordinate office of the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, located at “Telhan Bhavan”, Himayatnagar, Hyderabad (Telangana). This Directorate was set up in the year 1942 as PIRCOM (Project for Intensification of Regional Research on Cotton, Oilseeds & Maize) Centre which was looking after Research and Development of Oilseed crops in the Country. Subsequently, in the year 1966, this office was re-organized and research and development functions were bifurcated and research has assigned by establishing ICAR institute “Directorate of Oilseeds Research” where as development function remained with this organization, however it was renamed as “Directorate of Oilseeds Development” under Union Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India.

      The Directorate of Oilseeds Development (DOD) is looking after the monitoring of Oilseed Development Programmes and Oil Palm Development Programme/schemes implemented in the country and also Central sector/sponsored schemes of Ministry in the assigned states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.

This Directorate is located in the heart of city, 35 km from Rajiv Gandhi International Air port, Hyderabad, 6 km from Secunderabad Railway Station and 5 KM from Hyderabad Railway station at Telhan Bhavan, Himayatnagar, Hyderabad-500029 (Telangana) in its own building. E-mail ID:dod@nic.in, Telephone: No. 040-23225257, 23225258; Telefax: 040-23224381. The url of Directorate’s website is https://oilseeds.dac.gov.in .

DUTIES OF DIRECTORATE

Directorate is responsible for development of oilseed crops in the country and all crops in assigned states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana. The main activities/duties looked after by this Directorate are given as under:

1. To Assist Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare to plan, coordinate and monitor nodal Crops Development Programmes (Oilseeds & Oil Palm) at the National level by submitting compiled monthly progress reports on the implementation of NFSM (OS & OP): Oilseeds & Oil Palm including comments thereon.

2. Collecting and submitting monthly progress reports of all other Centrally Sponsored Schemes implemented in assigned states to Ministry including comments thereon.

3. To assist States/Union Territories to plan, formulate and implement crops programmes to increase the production and productivity of nine (9) Oilseed crops and area expansion under Oil palm through focused interventions.

4. To function as ‘eyes and ears’ of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare for all major crops grown in the assigned States and to function as “Area Officers” for Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu & Kerala States.

5. To report regularly to Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare on weather and crop prospect of Oilseed crops in the country and all crops of assigned states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu & Kerala States through Weekly Weather Watch Reports.

6. Review the implementation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes like NFSM and CDP in the assigned states through field visits.

7. Regular visits to review the performance of implementation of seed hub, breeder seed production and cluster demonstrations in assigned states.

8. To have closer interaction/ coordination with the Project Directorates/Institutes and other Research Centers of the ICAR in FLDs and represent Deptt. of Agri. & Farmers Welfare in Annual Group Meetings, etc.

9. To study and analyze trends in weather, crop area, production and productivity through periodical progress reports received from SDAs.

10. To assist Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and fixing targets of production.

11. To represent in the Inter-Ministerial Central Team for assessing the situation in the wake of natural calamities such as drought, heavy rainfall/flood, cyclone, hail storm, etc. in the assigned states.

12. Directorate actively involved in formulation of schemes such as preparation of plan document for oilseed schemes, identification of potential areas for oil palm cultivation in India under Chaddha Committee, etc.

13. Any other works allotted by the Ministry (Crops Division & Oilseeds Division) from time to time on regular basis.

SCENARIO OF OILSEED CROPS IN INDIA

      There are two major sources of Oilseeds i.e. Primary and Secondary. Primary sources are made combining the edible group [(Groundnut, Rapeseed (Toria, Mustard and Sarson), Soybean, Sunflower, Sesame, Safflower and Niger)] and non-edible group (Castor and Linseed). Similarly, secondary sources have been established combining edible group (Seasonal crops : Cottonneseed, Ricebran, Maize germ, Watermelon, Plantation crops : Coconut, Red-oilpalm, Tree borne oilseeds: Sal seed, Mahua, Mango-kernel, Cheura / Phulwara, Kokum, Dhupa, Simarouba) and non edible group (Seasonal crops : Mesta seed, Tobacco seed, Plantation crops : Rubber – seed, other Tree Borne Oilseeds: Neem, Karanj, Pilu or Khakan, Palash, Nahor, Undi, Pisa, Wild-apricot, Rattan-jyot, Maroti, Jojoba, etc). Almost 72% of the total oilseeds area is confined to rainfed farming cultivated mostly by marginal and small farmers. Lack of appropriate technologies, cultivation under input-starved conditions, combating the biotic and abiotic stresses are some of the major causes for poor productivity of Oilseeds. The huge drain on the import bill coupled with the above factors led to establishment of Technology Mission on Oilseeds (TMO) in 1986 for enhancing the domestic production of edible Oils. Consequent upon the setting up of Technology Mission on Oilseeds, a major breakthrough in increasing Oilseeds production was achieved through an integrated approach by introducing new crop production technologies, better supply of inputs and extension services support for marketing, post-harvest technologies and excellent coordination/cooperation between various concerned organizations/ departments and Ministries. As a result of concerted efforts by the TMOP, the production of Oilseeds increased from 108.3 lakh tonnes in 1985-86 to 361.009 lakh tonnes in 2020-21 (4th Adv est). This brought not only increase in area but also improvement in productivity from 570 kg/ha (1985-86) to 1284 kg/ha, 1224 kg/ha and 1254 kg/ha during 2017-18, 2019-20 & 2020-21, respectively. The country recorded the highest ever production of 361.009 (4th adv est) lakh tonnes oilseeds during 2020-21 followed by 332.192 lakh tones during 2019-20 with record productivity level of 1284 kg/ha during 2017-18 followed by 1254 kg/ha during 2020-21 due to favourable weather conditions and support given by the Govt of India to the Oilseeds production/developmental programmes and policies. During last two years i.e. 2019-20 and 2020-21, country recorded highest oilseeds production due to the efforts of Government of India by implementing severale programmes viz., NFSM Oilseeds, TRFA oilseeds, Seed hubs on Oilseeds, cluster demonstrations of improved technology, Special programme on rapeseed & Mustard programme during Rabi, 2020-21, etc. Despite impressive progress of vegetable oil sector in the last two decades, the import has been rising for last 7-8 years. India has been cultivating almost all oilseed crops. Major ones are Soybean, Groundnut, Rapeseed-Mustard, Sesame, Sunflower, Castor, Safflower, Linseed and Niger. Among the nine oilseed crops in India, the highest average contribution to total production of oilseeds is of soybean (38%) followed by Rapeseed-Mustard (27%) and groundnut (27%) (Average of 2016-17 to 2020-21 (4th adv est). Similarly, highest average area contribution to total oilseed area is of soybean (44%) followed by Rapeseed-Mustard (24%) and Groundnut (20%). On an average, total Kharif oilseed crops contribution to total production is about 67% and the remianing 33% is of Rabi / summer oilseed crops.