South India’s edible oil brand, Sunpure, has announced an important initiative to encourage and empower Indian farmers to take up oilseeds production on a bigger scale in a bid to boost edible oil productivity in the country. The Karnataka-based company will work directly with farmers to procure groundnut seeds and sunflower seeds at competitive prices, sans any middlemen. The aim is to create a sustainable ecosystem for Indian farmers to help reduce the country’s dependence on imports.

MK Agrotech, the parent company, already has suitable machinery for crushing oil seeds, such as groundnut and sunflower. The Challakere plant in the Chitradurga district currently undertakes around 70 metric tonnes of groundnut seed crushing per day and 100 metric tonnes per day of sunflower seed crushing. The plan is to expand its oil seeds crushing operations to include flax seeds and sesame seeds shortly.

Commenting on the company’s latest initiative, Gokaran Singh Pawar, national sales head, MK Agrotech, said, “Currently, 63 percent of edible oil consumed in India is imported. There’s an urgent need for us to become self-reliant in terms of meeting the country’s domestic demand for edible oils. As a leading player in this space, MK Agrotech’s flagship edible oil brand, Sunpure, is committed to making concerted efforts to reach out to farmers and help them shift to oilseed farming, as well as improve the quality and yield of their crops. We need to spread greater awareness among Indian farmers about the benefits of oilseed production. In a few years, India could become an exporter of edible oil.”

As part of the initiative, MK Agrotech will identify progressive farmers with protective irrigation facilities on their farmland and provide them with certified seeds under the Subsidy Program by the Government of Karnataka (Department of Agriculture).

Sunpure, has the distinction of being India’s first chemical-free, processed, and physically refined oil with government-patented technology. Earlier this year, Sunpure announced its foray into the INR 25,000-crore branded spices market with the launch of Sunpure Red Chilli Powder, Sunpure Turmeric Powder, and Sunpure Coriander Powder. The company plans to further expand its product portfolio to include grains, pulses, dry fruit, and other food products, with a vision to strengthen the brand’s legacy of bringing together technology and tradition.