Lok Sabha Question No. 231 (STARRED), answered on 2025-12-16
Subject: Modernisation of Oil Mills
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Rahul Kaswan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 231

TO BE ANSWERED ON 16 TH  DECEMBER, 2025

## MODERNISATION OF OIL MILLS

*231. SHRI RAHUL KASWAN:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण मंũी be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  number  of  oil  mills  in  the  country  that  continue  to  rely  on  low-technology, mechanical    crushing    methods    with    sub-optimal    oil    recovery,    including    the number  of  such  units  presently functional in Churu; (b) whether the Government is aware of  mechanical screw presses leaving behind 8-14% of  the  expressible  oil  in  the  deoiled  cake,  making  a  large  quantity  of  edible  oil unavailable for human consumption; (c)   if    so,    the    measures    taken   by    the    Government   to   support    modernisation  of extraction technologies; (d)  the  financial  or  technical  support  extended  to small  and  medium-scale  operators for such upgradation; and (e)  the  expected  gains  in  recovery  rates,  farmer  remuneration  and  reduction  of
- edible  oil imports from technology upgradation?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण मंũी (SHRI SHIVRAJ SINGH CHOUHAN)

- (a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT IN RESPECT OF PARTS (a)  TO (e)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA  STARRED QUESTION  NO.  231  DUE  FOR  ANSWER  ON  16 TH   DECEMBER,  2025  REGARDING MODERNISATION OF OIL MILLS:

(a) to (e): As per NITI Aayog's 2024 report, the organized edible oil sector comprises 'Oil Mills (Crushing Units)' numbering around 15,000 with an annual capacity of approximately 36 million tonnes. (Source: NITI Aayog, Pathways & Strategy for Accelerating Growth in Edible Oil Towards Goal Of Atmanirbharta). As per data of Udhyam registration, 104 oil manufacturing units are registered in Churu District of Rajasthan.

As per information received from Directorate of Sugar & Vegetable Oils, Department  of  Food  and  Public  Distribution,  the  efficiency  of  edible-oil  extraction  is influenced  both  by  the  intrinsic  oil  content  of  the  crop  and  the  technology  used  in processing.

| Oilseed              | Intrinsic Oil Content (%)   | Mechanical Expeller Recovery (%)   | Solvent Extraction Recovery (%)   | Notes                                                                 |
|----------------------|-----------------------------|------------------------------------|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Mustard / Rapeseed   | 38-42                       | 30-33                              | 38-40                             | Largest domestic edible-oil source; widely cultivated in North India. |
| Groundnut            | 42-50                       | 32-35                              | 45-48                             | Gujarat & South India produce majority; high oil content.             |
| Soybean              | 17-20                       | 12-14                              | 18-20                             | Key for edible oil & protein meal; mostly solvent extracted.          |
| Sunflower            | 38-45                       | 28-32                              | 40-42                             | Sensitive to moisture; solvent yields significantly higher.           |
| Sesame (Til)         | 45-55                       | 35-40                              | 48-52                             | Premium oil; mostly expeller- processed traditionally.                |
| Cottonseed           | 15-20                       | 8-10                               | 14-18                             | Low oil content; almost always solvent extracted.                     |
| Castor (Non- edible) | 45-50                       | 42-45                              | 48-50                             | Used for industrial/chemical applications.                            |

While mechanical screw-presses show lower efficiency, modern solvent-extraction improves recovery substantially.

The Union Cabinet approved the National Mission on Edible Oils-Oilseeds (NMEOOS) on 3 rd  October, 2024 with an outlay of Rs. ₹10,103.38 crore (with a central share of ₹7,481.67 crore) to boost domestic oilseed production and to strive toward self-sufficiency in  edible  oils.  The  mission  aims  to  increase  primary  oilseed  production  to  69.7  million tonnes, expand area coverage to 33 million hectares, and improve productivity to 2,112 kg/ha by 2030-31.

The Mission is being implemented in a cluster-based approach with market linkage. Value Chain Clusters  are  managed by Value Chain Partners such as Farmer Producer Organizations  (FPOs),  cooperatives  and  other  agencies.  Under  these  clusters,  farmers are  provided  free  high-quality  seeds  upto  area  of  1  hectare  each  and  training  on  good agricultural  practices.  In  addition,  the  Mission  also  supports  the  establishment  and upgradation of post-harvest infrastructure (oil mills) to improve recovery from primary and secondary sources. So far, 203 Oil Mills Sanctioned under NMEO- Oilseeds during 202526, state wise details  is enclosed at Annexure-I.

National  Mission  on  Edible  Oils-Oil  Palm  (NMEO-OP)  also  being  implemented since 2021, aims to promote oil palm cultivation and enhance the availability of edible oils in the country by expanding oil palm area, increasing Crude Palm Oil (CPO) production, and  reducing  the  import  dependence  on  edible  oils.  Under the Mission, financial assistance  is  provided  to  farmers  for  planting  materials,  inputs  for  maintenance  and intercropping  during  the  gestation  period  of  up  to  four  years,  establishment  of  seed gardens,  nurseries,  micro-irrigation  facilities,  borewells,  pump-sets,  water  harvesting structures, vermicompost units, solar pumps, harvesting tools, custom hiring centres/harvester groups and for training of farmers and officers, as well as for replanting of old oil palm gardens. Additionally, assistance is also provided for setting up of oil mills for processing fresh fruit bunches (FFBs) for North Eastern States.

The  objective  of  both  missions  (NMEO-OS  and  NMEO-OP)  is  to  double  the country's  edible  oil  production  by  2030-31  through  the  widespread  dissemination  of improved varieties and modern technologies to farmers.

State wise oil mill sanctioned under NMEO- Oilseeds during 2025-26:

| S. No.   | State          |   Oil mill sanctioned in numbers |
|----------|----------------|----------------------------------|
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh |                               10 |
| 2        | Assam          |                               56 |
| 3        | Chhattisgarh   |                               10 |
| 4        | Gujarat        |                                9 |
| 5        | Jharkhand      |                                4 |
| 6        | Karnataka      |                                9 |
| 7        | Maharashtra    |                               22 |
| 8        | Madhya Pradesh |                               11 |
| 9        | Meghalaya      |                                2 |
| 10       | Nagaland       |                               16 |
| 11       | Odisha         |                               16 |
| 12       | Rajasthan      |                               13 |
| 13       | Sikkim         |                               10 |
| 14       | Telangana      |                               10 |
| 15       | Uttar Pradesh  |                                3 |
| 16       | West Bengal    |                                2 |
| Total    | Total          |                              203 |

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