An Overview of Indian Sunflower Farming
Sunflower is among the major oil crops that grow in the Kharif season in India. It is an oil crop that can also be a pure or mixed crop. In plains, it is often sown together with maize, sorghum, and pigeon peas to increase soil fertility and crop yield. Moreover, both the farmer and consumer stand to gain from sunflower production. It provides high-quality oil rich in unsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E; it also produces nutritious foodstuff for livestock feeding and good honey for beekeepers.
Sunflower production should be raised by improving strain and modern agricultural measures. Some recommended strains are PSH 1962, PSH 569, and PSH 347; these strains not only have a high yield of seeds and oil content but also are resistant to disease and pests. Some important measures are suitable sowing season, reasonable planting distance, balanced fertilization, weeding, irrigation, and pest control.
Sunflower Cultivation in India
Sunflower farming has been practiced for a long time in India. Introduced in the 1960s as an alternative oilseed crop to match rising edible oil requirements. Sunflower is adapted to Indian agro-climatic conditions and can be grown in almost all parts of the country. The agriculture of sunflowers is highly beneficial for farmers. High yield potential, short duration, low input cost, adaptability to diverse soils and cropping systems, and resistance to drought and salinity are a few of them.
On the contrary, the sunflower sector in India has key regions and participants. They are primarily popular in southern and western states. For instance, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. These states now account for over 80% of the nation’s total sunflower area and production. The top sunflower seed companies & manufacturers in India are as given below: Nuziveedu Seeds Ltd, Kaveri Seeds Ltd, Mahyco Seeds Ltd, Rasi Seeds Ltd, and Ankur Seeds Ltd. They breed and sell hybrid sunflower seeds. They have higher yields and oil than traditional seeds. Other than that, a few of the elite hybrid sunflower types are PSH 1962, PSH 569, PSH 347, KBSH 44, Morden Gold Plus, and RSH 1.
Sunflower Oil Demand & Farming Costs in India
India and worldwide demand for sunflower oil
There has been a rising demand for sunflower oil through the years. Some of them include rising population, income, and urbanization; changing food habits & preferences; increasing awareness about health & nutrition; and expanding food processing & hospitality sectors. Consequently, India imported 14.91 million tonnes of vegetable oils in 2020-21. Of that, 1.11 million tonnes was sunflower oil. Consequently, India is the second-largest buyer of sunflower oil after the European Union. Like that, it was 18.5 million tonnes in 2020-21 in terms of sunflower oil consumption across the globe. The current estimate for 2021-22 is 19.3 million tonnes.
Trends or changes in demand
As per numerous trends and market developments, the demand for sunflower oil will also gradually increase. Some of them are, for instance:
- Preference for healthy and natural oils increased: Sunflower is healthy and natural. It contains no health-damaging cholesterol and trans fats. Sunflower oil contains several antioxidants, vitamin E, and unsaturated fatty acids that help reduce the risk of several diseases. They’re good for heart health, blood sugar, and cancer prevention. Consumers take greater interest in their health and wellness. They opt for oils that promote their well-being.
- Increasing popularity of high-oleic sunflower oil: High-oleic sunflower oil contains higher amounts of oleic acid compared to conventional sunflower oil. Oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid, is good for your heart and for your blood pressure. High oleic sunflower oil has a longer shelf life and a higher smoking point than regular sunflower oil. This variety is suitable for baking and frying. Consumers and food manufacturers favour high-oleic sunflower oil. It is a premium, versatile product.
- Demand—there is a growing demand for biofuel: sunflower oil can be used for biodiesel production. Biodiesel was an alternative to fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are renewable or clean energy. Sunflower oil biodiesel lowers greenhouse gas emissions, improves engine performance, and encourages rural development. Environmental concerns, energy security, and government policies are driving demand for biofuel.
BEST PRACTICES AND FARMING TECHNIQUES
Sunflower crop farming best practices
Many things are needed to grow sunflower farming. Good land preparation, timely sowing, optimum spacing, balanced fertilization, weed control, irrigation, and pest management are some of them. Sunflowers can be intercropped with other species to improve soil fertility and increase crop yield. Some of them are pigeon peas, sorghum, and maize. Moderate rainfall is produced by sunflower seeds for their rapid growth. It is 300-750 mm per year. While sunflowers can grow in different soils, fertile soils are best for sunflowers. These can be for wheat or maize. If we don’t harvest sunflowers at the right time, it will cost us. The heads should be brown; the seeds are hard. Moreover, use tractor implements to optimize and improve productivity!
Support or resources for sunflower farmers
Various agencies can help sunflower farmers. Some of them are:
Research and extension services: There are several other works for sunflower being carried out by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and its institutes. Some of them are the Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research (IIOR) and the Directorate of Oilseeds Research (DOR). They work on sunflower research and development to increase sunflower productivity and quality. In addition, they supply quality sunflower seeds and other planting materials to farmers. They also create better varieties and technologies that can help us grow sunflowers. They also educate and train sunflower farmers on best practices.
Seed companies and cooperatives: Sunflower farmers can look to seed companies and cooperatives that produce and market hybrid sunflower seeds for additional assistance; some of them are Ankur Seeds Ltd., Rasi Seeds Ltd., Mahyco Seeds Ltd., Kaveri Seeds Ltd., and Nuziveedu Seeds Ltd. These companies are providing high-yielding, disease-resistant hybrid sunflower seeds to farmers. Among the cooperatives supporting sunflower farmers are the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO), National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), and National Agricultural Co-operative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED). These cooperatives offer sunflower farmers inputs and credit, as well as marketing and processing facilities.
Financial Plan for Growing Sunflowers
Sunflower farming expenses
Profitable business: Sunflower farming It needs less production cost because. The returns on investment are good with it. There are plenty of things needed in sunflower production. These include land preparation, seed acquisition, fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation, harvesting, and transportation. Roy’s Farm provides the cost of sunflower cultivation per hectare in India. It is about Rs. 25,000. As per the market, sunflower seeds cost around Rs. 40 per kg. Sunflower average yield is approximately 1 tonne/ha. The net profit from growing sunflowers is approximately Rs. 15,000 per hectare.
Farmers are eligible for handouts or assistance from the government support or subsidies
Government help for sunflower farmers Governments have several supports or subsidies for them to help. They can grow their production and incomes with them. Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India. It seeks to expand sunflower area and production. Examples of types of government support or subsidies include:
NFSM: The scheme aids farmers under which agricultural demand is being fulfilled. National Food Security Mission (NFSM) These include seed distribution, seed production, integrated nutrient management, pest management, and farm mechanization and demonstrations.
PMFBY: This scheme provides farmers with crop insurance and risk coverage. The crop guards them against natural disasters, pests, and disease.
Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY): This scheme will help the farmers in processing and value addition of sunflower products.
NMOOP: This scheme aids farmers in terms of micro-irrigation, intercropping, contingency planning, and quality control.
Conclusion
Farmers can easily take up sunflower as a less irrigation-demanding oilseed crop. Therefore, it is adapted to be grown in rainfed areas with water-scarce situations. Sunflower also has a deep root system that can draw moisture from deeper soil. It also has a high transpiration efficiency, so it loses relatively little water through evaporation. This allows sunflowers to yield very well under moisture stress.
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