Groundnut farms might adapt the new model as mustard has shown good results
The Solvent Extractors’ Association (SEA) of India was formed in 1963, and since then it has been helping the development and growth of the Solvent Extraction Industry in India. It has been supporting the establishment of model farms for mustard and castor and now it has similar plans for groundnut also.
On the 16th of June 2023, the managing committee of SEA decided to establish about 100 – 150 model groundnut farms in the state of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The plan is to establish the model in the current season which can give a boost to the groundnut industry.
Recently Ajay Jhunjhunwala’s (President of SEA) attention has gone towards groundnut as it is a major crop and needs more productivity. He said that “Considering our experience for castor and mustard model farm projects, the Managing Committee at the meeting held on June 16, 2023, at New Delhi, decided to extend the model farm project for groundnut,” he said.
The mustard model farm is giving very encouraging results for the past four years. They have seen an increase in productivity with this model. Referring to the SEA team’s meeting with Manoj Ahuja, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Jhunjhunwala said he had appreciated SEA’s role in promoting mustard model farms.
Financial Support is needed as CSR and to help interested companies
To develop this project, stakeholders must support the project financially. Jhunjhunwala said the contribution will be qualified as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity under Section 135 of the Companies Act 2013.
To take further steps, Ahuja also wanted to know the names of companies that are interested in setting up oil palm plantations in the North-East and asked the association to prepare a note on the challenges and opportunities in oil palm plantations from the industry’s point of view. Ahuja also agreed to support the visit of a delegation of interested companies to the Northeast to explore the opportunity.
International opportunities
BV Mehta (An Executive Director of SEA), Suresh Motwani (General Manager – Oilseeds of Solidaridad) and Kailash Singh (Managing Director of TEFLA) visited Thailand to understand its palm oil complexity and reported to jhunjhunwala. Considering this, Jhunjhunwala said that the Thai Crude Palm Oil producers and exporters are keen to develop direct relationships with Indian importers and refiners. SEA is expecting a delegation from Thailand to attend the annual general meeting of SEA and Globoil 2023 in September.