Performance of safflower in India: A temporal analysis

Abstract

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.), an important oilseed crop is primarily cultivated in India as a winter crop under residual moisture conditions is confined to Vertisols in the Southern and Western Plateau Hills Regions of India. Though safflower does not contribute significantly to the economy's vegetable basket, the oil possess highest source of polyunsaturated fats and hence offers substantial health benefits. This paper examines the performance of safflower in the major states of the country for three different periods viz., 1972-73 to 1985-86; 1986-87 to 1995-96 and 1996-97 to 2010-11. The study revealed that during the period 1972-73 to 1985-86, safflower had made significant inroads into the edible oil economy. The crop productivity (kg I ha) contributed to 50% of enhanced production. The subsequent periods did not see the continuance of the gains evidenced earlier. These periods witnessed deceleration in area and production. The impact of technological change and area visible during the period 1986-87 to 1995-96 disappeared during 1996-97 to 2010-11. This period witnessed technology regress indicating stagnation of productivity vis-a-vis other competing crops. Several factors viz., biotic and abiotic, trade liberalization, market forces, marginalized cultivation, competing crops, etc., resulted in decimation of safflower. Concerted interventions that include recasting the research agenda thro appropriate priority setting; development of safflower hybrids with higher productivity; creation of innovative institutional mechanisms for outreach, public private partnership for a WIN WIN situation, and appropriate market and institutional support/environment are to be initiated by the R&D agencies