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Informist, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026

 

MUMBAI – The government is reportedly close to approving a genetically modified hybrid variety of mustard, the Solvent Extractors' Association said. In a letter addressing members of the association, Sanjeev Asthana, president of SEA, said approval of the genetically modified variety could mark a significant milestone in India's agri-biotechnology.

 

The proposal follows extensive biosafety assessments and field trials and is expected to focus on traits such as higher yields, improved disease tolerance, and better oil recovery, Asthana said. If the proposal is cleared, genetically modified mustard could help address India's long-standing productivity gap in oilseeds and reduce edible oil dependence, he said. "The move also signals a cautious but progressive approach towards adopting advanced technologies to strengthen domestic oilseed production," he added.

 

In the letter, Asthana also brought up the weightage of edible oils in the overall weight of food and beverages in the proposed recision of the CPI base year to 2024. The proposed revision includes a reduction in the weight of food and beverages to reflect changing consumption patterns, which brings up the concerns of accurate weightage of edible oil. "As SEA of India has earlier highlighted in its representation on WPI revision, edible oil consumption has seen significant internal shifts, with some oils gaining prominence and others declining," he said. A data-driven rebalancing of individual edible oil weightage is essential to ensure realistic inflation measurement and fair representation of farmers, consumers, and the industry.

 

The president also congratulated Madhya Pradesh for reintroducing the Soybean Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana kharif 2025–26, a price deficiency payment scheme under which farmers are assured the declared minimum support price for soybean without the government resorting to physical procurement. As of December, around 1.6 million tonnes of soybean had been sold by farmers under the scheme, against the approved quantity of 2.2 million tonnes by the state government, "reflecting its wide acceptance and effective implementation," Asthana said. End

 

Reported by Shreya Shetty

Edited by Avishek Dutta

 

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