As temperatures soar in India, farmers are increasingly abandoning rapeseed and mustard planting in favor of crops that are less susceptible to heat stress. This shift comes despite higher prices for rapeseed, as growers seek more reliable returns during an unusually warm sowing season.
Key Highlights:
Temperature Impact: Above-average temperatures in October and early November have adversely affected rapeseed germination. In Rajasthan, the maximum temperatures were reported to be 2 to 7 degrees Celsius above normal, prompting farmers to reconsider their crop choices.
Crop Switching: Anil Chatar, a trader from Jaipur, noted that many early-planted rapeseed crops failed to germinate, leading farmers to switch to crops like wheat and potatoes. Vedpal Tyagi, a farmer from Dholpur, reported reducing his rapeseed acreage from 20 acres to 10 acres due to poor germination.
Decreased Planting Area: As of November 21, rapeseed was planted on 3.12 million hectares in Rajasthan, a 7.2% decrease from the previous year. Neighboring states such as Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh are also expected to see a 10% reduction in rapeseed planting due to similar temperature issues.
Market Concerns: Although the Indian government raised the minimum support price for rapeseed by 5.3% to 5,950 rupees ($70.61) per 100 kg, farmers are wary due to lower prices for soybean, which competes with rapeseed. This has led to increased planting of wheat and chickpeas, which have seen rising prices.
Import Dependencies: India, the world’s largest importer of vegetable oils, relies heavily on imports to meet its cooking oil demand. The country sources nearly one-third of its cooking oil from palm oil, soyoil, and sunflower oil, primarily from Malaysia, Indonesia, Brazil, Argentina, Ukraine, and Russia.