Indore: Dr. CD Mayee, an eminent agricultural scientist and former chairman of Agricultural Scientist Recruitment Board, New Delhi expressed concern towards the fact that the country is producing oilseed crops free from Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) but is compelled to import the GM soybean oil in order to meet our domestic requirement. Therefore, he emphasized on strengthening the research work to increase productivity.
Dr. Mayee was addressing the maiden technical session of a three-day National Oilseed Meet-cum-‘Research-Industry-Farmer Interface’ which began on Wednesday at the city based ICAR-Indian Institute of Soybean Research. The National Oildseed Meet is being organised using online/virtual mode and also through live coverage on institute’s Facebook page and Youtube channel. In his brief address, Dr. Mayee presented the overall scenario of edible oil economy of the country and outlined different ways to become self sufficient ‘atmanirbhar’ in edible oil. He also showed his concern for overall reduction in the area of oilseeds grown in the country during recent past. He highlighted that the availability of spurious seed is another problem needed to be addressed immediately. Policy support is also needed for production and marketing of oilseeds and edible oil produced in the country.
The subject of the first technical session was ‘Challenges of Research on Oilseed Crops’. Dr. Mayee chaired the session and Co-chaired by Dr. SK Sharma, Ex Vice Chancellor of CSKHPKV, Palampur and Dr. S. Rajendra Prasad, Vice Chancellor of University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangaluru. The meet was attended by more than 200 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-IISR Indore welcomed the dignitaries including Chairman, Co-chairman, and Directors of other Oilseed base ICAR Institutes located in different part of the country and other participants. She also appraised the house regarding efforts of Indian Council of Agricultural Research towards increasing the productivity of oilseeds and self-sufficiency in vegetable oil of the country.
