Technology Missions on oilseeds, pulses, maize and cotton were launched in the Seventh
Five Year Plan to further intensify research and provide a fillip to technology adoption
by removing some bottlenecks and constraints. The Technology Mission on Oilseeds has
achieved a major breakthrough in the production of oilseeds. During 1998-99, a record
production of 25.2 million tonnes of oilseeds was achieved for the first time in India. As
oilseeds crops are predominantly grown in rain-fed areas in the country, their production
fluctuates widely depending upon the fluctuations in the rainfall. In the year, 2005-06,
the production of oilseeds in the country was 28 million tonnes.