Production of oil seeds, especially mustard oil crop, has been rising in the country thanks to increasing demand of indigenous edible oil and honey among health conscious consumers, officials said.
Experts said mustard oil, which was once the key edible oil in the country, disappeared from the kitchens with the popularisation of imported soybean and palm oils. But, now health conscious people are again paying attention to mustard and other indigenous edible oils which are healthier compared to palm oil or soybean.
The demand for quality honey also helped increase oilseed crop output as a large volume of honey is collected from oil crop fields, they observed.
According to Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), oil seed production reached 0.85 million tonnes at 0.55 million hectares last fiscal year (FY'14) which was 0.78 million tonnes at 0.340 million hectares in FY'12.
Of the oil crops, mustard oil comprised nearly 0.6 million tonnes at 0.45 million hectares in FY'14 --- nearly 71 per cent of the total oil crop production, an official at DAE monitoring unit said.
He said mustard oil is getting popular in the kitchens as the mainstream edible oil while price of the produce is also lucrative which encourages the farmers.
A farmer can now make a Tk 60,000 profit in the minimum from one hectare of land by cultivating mustard oil crop, he said.
He said a large volume of honey is also collected from the mustard oil fields which is also a source of earning.
Farm economist ASM Golam Hafiz Kennedy said mustard oil met 75 per cent of the demand for edible oil in 1980s.
"Promotional activities of import, wrong direction by the then nutrition experts helped an easy access of soybean and palm to the country which made us almost import-dependent on edible oil," he said.
"Mustard and other local oil crop farmers left farming of local edible oil seeds following deprivation in prices," he said.
Kennedy, who teaches agricultural finance at Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), said the domestic demand for edible oil and fats stands at 1.8 million tonnes now, 90 per cent of which is met through imports which cost the country Tk 110 billion per annum.
The recent consciousness and change of taste over local edible oil is positive for the country, he pointed out.
"The production of local oilseeds could be increased ten times if the government takes necessary initiatives which could increase local oil production," he said.
He also pointed out that utilising the rice bran, the country can also make nearly 1.0 million tonnes of edible oil.
"By increasing local oil seed production and rice bran oil, we can be an exporter country from an importer one," he said.
However, comparative study of different edible oils has shown that mustard oil as a cooking medium can reduce the risk of heart diseases by over 70 per cent.
The study conducted by experts from All India Institute of Medical Sciences ( AIIMS) and Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, India in 2012 compared fat content with different cooking oils.
"A heart-friendly oil should be cholesterol- and trans-fat-free, low in saturated fats and high in monounsaturated fat (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fat (PUFA), it should have an ideal N6 to N3 acids ratio and a high smoking point. Mustard oil meets all these criteria and that's why it is the best cooking oil," said co-author of the article and senior consultant cardiologist at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital Dr SC Manchanda.
Apart from its edible oil value, mustard and other oil seed crops have been attracting a number of honey collectors.
Commercial honey farming in the country is increasing parallel to rise in output of oil seeds.
Senior vice precedent of Bangladesh Apiculture Association (BAA) Md Shahjahan said the honey farmers are now ready with thousands of honey boxes to collect honey from mustard oil seed fields in Sirajganj, Pabna, Tangail, Manikganj, Munshiganj.
"The country's 60 per cent honey is collected from mustard oil seed fields," he said.
He said many of the mustard oil farmers are also involved in honey farming and in that case, they can make double profit.
"We are expecting that the total honey production will surpass 3,000 tonnes (1 tonne = 1,000 kg) worth Tk 900 million this year of which commercial farms will provide 2,000 tonnes and the rest would be collected from the Sundarbans," he said.
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