FACTBOX-Key facts about India's rapeseed crop

Published: 20 Oct 2009 01:56:51 PST

Oct 20 - India's worst monsoon in almost four decades has delayed sowing of rapeseed in the biggest crop region, dashing traders' hopes that a drought-diminished summer harvest would encourage higher winter planting.

The Soybean Processors Asociation of India has scaled down its output estimate 11.3 percent to 9.72 million tonnes for the 2009/10 crop year.

In August, traders said India's soybean output might fall 9 to 19 percent because of poor rains in central India, the main producing region. [ID:nSP490142]

Rapeseed sowing has been delayed by a month due to high temperatures, inadequate soil moisture and lack of water in reservoirs in the main producing region. [ID:nDEL183791]

Traders expected the delay in sowing could cut the ouput of rapeseed, the main winter sown oilseed crop, by 5-7 percent. See related story [ID:nDEL432352]

For a graphic on India's rapeseed output, click: http://graphics.thomsonreuters.com/109/IN_RPSDPR1009.gif

Here are some key facts about the Indian rapeseed crop.

- India is the world's fourth biggest rapeseed producer, contributing 13 percent of global output of 56 million tonnes in 2008/09.

- The European Union is the top producer with a 36 percent share, followed by Canada (24 percent) and China (22 percent).

- India produced 7.4 million tonnes of rapeseed in the crop year 2008/09, up 28 percent from 5.8 million tonnes in previous year.

- Rapeseed has the highest oil content (35-40 percent) among India's nine main oilseeds that include soybean, groundnut and sunflower.

- Early maturing rapeseed crop is sown from mid-Septmember to October, while the sowing of late maturing varieties continues until mid-November. It is harvested February onwards.

- The northern state of Rajasthan accounts for 47 percent of India' rapeseed output, followed Punjab and Haryana jointly contributing around 14 percent, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh at 13 percent and Gujarat at 7 percent.

- Rapeseed oil is consumed mainly in northern and eastern India as cooking oil, and used as food preservatives in southern states.

- Rapeseed oil meets about 15 percent of edible oil demand of India, the world's leading importer of vegetable oils.

- India's vegetable oil imports, comprising edible oils and hydrogenated fats, are expected to hit an all-time high of 8.5 million tonnes in 2008/09 against 6.3 million tonnes in 2007/08.

* Rapeseed output in 2008/09............... 7.4 mln tonnes

* Oilseeds output in 2008/09.28 mln tonnes

* Total rapeseed area....27-28 mln hectares

* Average yield per hectare.........1179 kg

* Rapeseed oil share in edible oil demand.......15 percent

* Oil recovery from rapeseed..35-40 percent

* Per-capita edible oil consumption...............11-12 kg

* Share in global oilseed output...............13 percent

* Indian share in global edible oil demand....9.33 percent

* Total demand for edible oils in 2007/08....13 mln tonnes

* Local edible oil supplies in 2007/08.......5 mln tonnes

* India vegetable oil marketing year..............Nov-Oct

* Oilseed crop year...............July-June

Source: Government of India and trade