Illusive oilseed

Without the Centre's push, niger seed might vanish from the tribal food plate in near future 

- RAJU SAJWAN

ONE OF the 14 kharif crops for which the Centre releases a minimum support price (MSP) every year is an unlikely plant called niger or ramtil (Guizotia abyssinica). This lesser known oilseed commands one of the highest MSPS, fixed on the basis of the cost of production and market demand. Yet, the area under its cultivation has been steadily shrinking over the past three decades. In 1985-86, niger was cultivated on around 0.6 million hectares (ha), as per a 2013 report by the All India Coordinated Research Project on Sesame and Niger (AICRP), Jabalpur. In 2020-21, the cultivated area shrunk by 80 per cent to a little over 0.1 million ha, the lowest among the 14 kharif crops with MSP. Paddy, the most widely grown kharif crop, is cultivated on almost 40 million ha (see 'High price, low interest' on p18).

The primary reason such a sparsely grown crop is part of the exclusive MSP list is because niger seed has traditionally "been the lifeline of tribal agriculture and economy in several states across India", states the 2013 AICRP report. The tribal population uses niger seed oil for cooking, the press cake post oil-extractionas livestock feed, and also consume the seeds as a condiment. Niger seed oil has medicinal properties, which is the reason for its commercial demand by the cosmetics, perfumeries and other allied industries.

Besides, the crop can grow on denuded soil and its cultivation method is fairly basic: after the first rain when the soil is moist, farmers need to plough the field and sprinkle the seeds. The crop neither requires much water nor fertilisers and pesticides. Why then are the tribal communities increasingly avoiding the oilseed despite such advantages and government support?

VANISHING ACT