"We also propose to ensure better prices to growers to encourage them to continue cultivating oilseeds," he said.

The government would prefer to follow a two-pronged strategy to improve oilseed production in the country.

One of the strategy was to increase the area underoil seed cultivation.

"Our plan is to bring more wasteland under oilseed cultivation as part of a strategy to bring in more area under oilseeds," the minister said.

Besides this, government would introduce better varietal seeds which could ensure good returns to growers.

The other strategy was to tap tree-borne oilseeds, he said.

"There are at least 14 tree species which can be tapped for oilseeds," Sompal said, adding these could specially meet the needs of industry.

Wild apricot, neem, mahuva, jojoba andsal were some of the trees which had good potential to yield oilseeds, he said.

Sompal, however, evaded a direct reply to a question if the government would launch another oilseed technology mission to further improve its production.

Oilseed production has become stagnant during the last couple of years, leading to large scale imports.

Its output surged in the 1980s after a technology mission was launched.

Oilseed production during the last crop year (November 1997-October 1998) has been estimated to be 222 lakh tonnes against 228 lakh tonnes during 1996-97. During the current year, it is projected to rise to 250 lakh tonnes.

The stagnant oilseed production has led to a 15 lakh tonnes shortfall in supply against a demand of 78 lakh tonnes for edible oil in the country.

During the last crop year, India is estimated to have imported a record 20 lakh tonnes of edible oil valued at Rs. 6,000 crore.

The solvent extractors association of India (SEA) said it was higher than the 18.2 lakh tonnesimported during 1987-88.

The higher import was facilitated by a 10 per cent cut in edible oil import duty to 15 per cent after the commodity's price began to spurt sharply.

Besides, government also allowed oilseed imports under open general license but the millers have demanded a further cut for imports becoming a feasible proposition.

SEA has, however, demanded a national policy on oilseeds so that self-sufficiency can be achieved in oilseed output.