Consider the following statements:
- The Government of India provides Minimum Support Price for niger (Guizotia abyssinica) seeds.
- Niger is cultivated as a Kharif crop.
- Some tribal people in India use niger seed oil for cooking.
How many of the above statements are correct?
- Only one
- Only two
- All three
- None
Explanation
Statements 1 and 2 are correct
- Among the 14 kharif crops for which the Centre announces Minimum Support Prices (MSP) each year, niger or ramtil (Guizotia abyssinica) is included. Despite being a lesser-known oilseed, it is offered one of the highest MSPs, reflecting its relatively higher cost of production and market considerations. The area under its cultivation has been steadily shrinking over the past three decades. In 1985-86, niger was cultivated on around 0.6 million hectares (ha), according to a 2013 report by the All India Coordinated Research Project on Sesame and Niger (AICRP). In 2020-21, the cultivated area shrank by 80 per cent to just over 0.1 million ha, the lowest among the 14 kharif crops with MSP.
Statement 3 is correct
- Some tribal people in India use niger seed oil for cooking, the press cake post oil-extraction as livestock feed, and also consume the seeds as a condiment. Niger seed oil has medicinal properties, which is the reason for its commercial demand by the cosmetics, perfumeries and other allied industries. The crop can grow even on denuded soils and requires minimal water, fertilisers, or pesticides. However, its cultivation is often affected by amarbel, a twining parasitic plant scientifically known as Cuscuta chinensis, which can regularly damage niger plants.
