Centre plans to revive sunflower cultivation to boost domestic oil output

The Indian government is set to revive sunflower cultivation in several states as part of its strategy to cut down dependence on imported edible oils. Under the National Mission on Edible Oils, sunflower is being promoted as a summer crop, supported by financial incentives and the development of processing infrastructure to enhance domestic production and ensure greater self-sufficiency.

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In a significant policy shift aimed at reducing India’s heavy reliance on edible oil imports, the central government is reviving the cultivation of sunflower in key agricultural states including Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana. Under the National Mission on Edible Oils, sunflower is being promoted as a summer crop by replacing some rabi-grown paddy areas—a move that is expected to boost oilseed production and offer better price realization for farmers.

This initiative comes after a prolonged decline in sunflower cultivation across India. In the 2010-11 crop year, the sunflower crop was grown over an area of 0.93 million hectares (MHa). However, the acreage steadily dwindled due to farmers shifting towards more profitable crops, particularly in traditional growing regions such as Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. Factors such as the lack of availability of hybrid seeds and poor price realization due to a surge in imports also contributed to the decline in domestic sunflower output.

In the 2023-24 crop year (July-June), sunflower was cultivated on just 0.15 MHa—barely 0.5% of the total oilseeds area of 30.19 MHa. By contrast, soybean accounted for 13.25 MHa (44%), mustard 9.18 MHa (30.4%), groundnut 4.7 MHa (15.65%), and sesame 1.53 MHa (5.1%). However, the current initiative seeks to reverse this trend by introducing sunflower as a viable summer crop and leveraging financial and logistical support to encourage adoption.

The National Mission on Edible Oils, which has a budgetary outlay of ₹10,103 crore, aims to reduce India’s edible oil import dependency from 57% to 28% by 2032. In the 2023-24 oil year (November–October), India imported 15.96 million tonnes (MT) of edible oils, out of which 3.5 MT (22%) was crude sunflower oil—mostly sourced from Ukraine. By increasing domestic sunflower production, the government aims to reduce this dependence and bolster national food security.

Chhattisgarh is among the leading states to embrace this revival effort. “We are aiming to replace summer and rabi-grown paddy area with sunflower cultivation,” said Kapildev Deepak, Joint Director, Agriculture, Chhattisgarh. The state is also exploring value chain development through the establishment of processing facilities for sunflower seeds, in collaboration with farmer producer organizations (FPOs) and private players.

The area under summer oilseeds cultivation—including groundnut, sunflower, and sesame—has already increased to 1.03 MHa in 2024-25, compared to 0.82 MHa in the previous year. This growth reflects the success of ongoing initiatives and highlights the potential for expansion in non-traditional cropping seasons like summer.

A key component of the revival strategy involves setting up processing clusters and providing incentives for upgrading post-harvest infrastructure. The government is offering financial assistance to FPOs, cooperatives, and industry stakeholders to establish such units, which are critical for ensuring remunerative prices for farmers and minimizing post-harvest losses.

Officials from the agriculture ministry believe sunflower holds immense potential for scale-up under the edible oil mission. Alongside increasing primary oilseed crop production, the mission also emphasizes efficient extraction from secondary sources like cottonseed, rice bran, and tree-borne oils—further supporting the goal of self-sufficiency.

Moreover, the mission proposes a dynamic import duty framework that aligns with the minimum support price (MSP) of oilseeds and fluctuations in global and domestic markets. This aims to create a level playing field for Indian farmers and ensure consistent pricing support.

As India takes decisive steps toward reviving sunflower cultivation and promoting domestic oilseed production, the success of this initiative will depend on continued policy support, farmer participation, and effective value chain integration. If implemented efficiently, the initiative could not only curb imports but also transform India into a more self-reliant edible oil economy.