Indore: Girish Matlani, MD of Sonic Biochem Extractions Ltd. emphasized on need of changes in policy to increase the processing and production of Soybean oil in the country. He said that the government should support the export of non-GM soybean meal.
Senior industry leader Matlani suggested that medium duration (100-110 days) soybean varieties should be promoted to withstand the late monsoon conditions. Value addition to soybean for encouraging other uses must be done. He was addressing the second day of the 3-day National Brainstorming Meet on Oilseed and Challenges of Industry on Thursday. The meet is being organised by the city-based Indian Institute of Soybean Research. The technical session was chaired by Dr. DK Yadav, Assistant Director General (Seed), Indian Council for Agricultural Research New Delhi. Dr Ratan Sharma, Technical Representative, US Soybean Export Council was the Co-Chairman of the session. The meet was attended by around 170 delegates comprising those involved in development and dissemination of technologies related to major oilseed crops including representatives of the oilseed based industry houses. At the outset, Dr Nita Khandekar, Director (ICAR-Indian Institute of Soybean Research (IISR) Indore welcomed the dignitaries including Chairman, Co-chairman, Directors of other Oilseed base ICAR Institutes located in different part of the country, industry representatives and other participants.
Other speaker of the session was Dr. BV Mehta, Executive Director, The Solvent Extractions association of India. He gave an extensive overview on growth and development of the oil extractions and vegetable oil industry in India. He provided the data about the availability of local and imported edible oils, consumption and future scenario. Dr. Shelly Praveen, Head Division of Biochemistry, IARI, New Delhi also spoke on the occasion.
Dr. GVS Sai Prasad, Principal Scientist at ITC Life Sciences and Technology discussed about post harvest food processing of oil seeds. He stressed on the increased utilization of processed food products to increase nutritional security. Dr Dinesh Bhosle, Regional Sales Director, South Asia, AB Vista deliberated on use of oil seed meal in animal feed industry. Four other speakers also lay stress on need of increasing productivity.
However, at the end of the presentations, Dr. DK Yadav, chairman of the session summarized the proceedings of the session by emphasizing the need to follow the strategies of increasing the area under oilseed and increasing the per unit productivity of these crops.
