New Delhi, 30 September (H.S.): Amid rising edible oil prices, the National Farmers Empowerment Initiative (NEFI) has welcomed the central government’s decision to reduce import duties, saying the move could provide immediate relief to consumers but that access to modern agricultural and seed technologies for farmers is essential for achieving self-reliance in edible oils. The organisation has also called for time-bound, science-based decisions on genetically modified (GM) crops.

On September 24, the government reduced the basic customs duty on crude sunflower oil from 10 per cent to zero and on crude soybean and palm oil from 10 per cent to 5 per cent.

NEFI said edible oil prices had risen by around 20 per cent over the past year. In 2024-25, India imported 16.072 million tonnes of edible oils, meeting nearly two-thirds of the country’s requirement through imports. The imports cost approximately Rs. 1.61 lakh crore, which, the organisation noted, was higher than the Union agriculture budget.

NEFI National Convenor Kishore Jaiswal said the reduction in import duties would provide relief to consumers but would not address the underlying problem.

“Whenever prices rise in international markets, the impact is felt not only in household budgets but also on our foreign-exchange reserves. The lasting solution lies in our fields, and farmers should have access to the best available seed technologies,” he said.

Highlighting the impact of technology in agriculture, NEFI cited the example of Bt cotton. According to the organisation, before Bt cotton was approved in 2002, India’s cotton production had remained stagnant for a prolonged period at around 15-17 million bales, while productivity was below 300 kg per hectare. By 2013-14, cotton production had reached around 40 million bales. Productivity had also nearly doubled, and India emerged as the world’s largest cotton producer and one of the leading cotton-exporting countries.

Progressive farmer Ganesh Nanote of Akola, Maharashtra, who has been cultivating GM cotton for a long time, said, “Before Bt cotton arrived, pink bollworm and other pests damaged our crops every year, and we spent heavily on pesticides. This technology changed the way we farm. Yields increased, spraying declined, and farming families gained greater opportunities to invest in their children’s education and in their farms. Farmers are not afraid of science. We simply want choices.”

NEFI also referred to DMH-11, a genetically modified mustard hybrid developed at the University of Delhi with public funding. According to the organisation, trials showed that DMH-11 recorded approximately 28 per cent higher yields than the national check variety. The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee approved its environmental release in 2022. However, further proceedings have remained stalled following the Supreme Court’s split verdict in July 2024. At the same time, India continues to import oil derived from GM soybean and canola.

The organisation said India’s oilseed production stood at 43.06 million tonnes in 2025-26, while the National Mission on Edible Oils has set a target of 69.7 million tonnes by 2030-31. Achieving this target, it said, would require the country to increase its production growth rate to nearly three times the current pace.

Kishore Jaiswal said Bt cotton had demonstrated what Indian farmers could achieve when provided with the right technology and appropriate resources.

“Mustard could become the next such success story. Our demand is that science-based and time-bound decisions be taken on GM crops so that the country does not have to rely on imports every time to provide relief to consumers,” he said.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar