Production and Trade of Major World Oil Crops

Abstract

Oilseeds are an important group of crop plants whose oil can be used for human consumption. There are about 40 different oil seeds whose oil can be consumed but only a few are significant in the total world trade. Oil crops are grown world over under varied agroclimatic situations and are vital commodities in the trade and commerce of many economies. The increase in production has occurred mainly due to rising demand for oilseed products and it has been possible mainly due to increase in area under the crop, as well as due to breeding of high yielding varieties. This has been supplemented with the advanced scientific production technologies which have resulted in high levels of per unit productivity, particularly in countries with high standards of agricultural production. Among the oilseed crops, soybean is the major contributor in world oilseed economy followed by rapeseed mustard, cotton, peanut and sunflower. The most important tropical oilseeds are the coconut, palm kernels and groundnut. The major oilseed producing areas are in the temperate zones. America and Europe together account for more than 60% of the world production of oil seeds whereas substantially small production (<5%) comes from tropical areas such as Africa, Malaysia and Indonesia. Both oilseed and oil production have consistently increased over the years to meet the ever increasing demand of vegetable oils. Among the oil seeds, soybean is the chief oil seed crop. Brassica species are the second largest oilseed crop after soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) in the world oilseed production, surpassing peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.), sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) and cottonseed (Gossypium hirsutum L.) during the last two decades (FAO (2010) Agricultural Outlook 2010–19). Palms are grown predominantly in the tropical areas of the world as perennial trees and are an important source of vegetable oil. About two-thirds of the total fat oil production is supplied by oilseeds, with palm oil having maximum share of 33%. Copra, cotton, palm, peanut, rapeseed, soybean and sunflower are the oilseed crops which dominate the international markets for trade purpose. Both imports and exports of oilseeds and their oils have shown a rising trend due to increased demand and supply of these commodities. China is a dominant importer for oilseeds as well as vegetable oils while the USA is a major exporter for oilseeds, and Indonesia and Malaysia for vegetable oils.