SAFFLOWER

OILSEEDS DIVISION
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION & FARMERS’ WELFARE
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE & FARMERS’ WELFARE
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
KRISHI BHAWAN, NEW DELHI
www.nmoop.gov.in
 BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Family : Asteraceae

Common Name : Kusum

Scientific
Name: Carthamus tinctorius L.

Origin: Area bounded by Eastern

Mediterranean and Persian Gulf,
encompassing southern parts of
former USSR, western Iran, Iraq, Syria,
Southern Turkey, Jordan and Israel
 SEASON AND CLIMATE

 Safflower is more or less a day-neutral plant but is thermo

sensitive
 Crop is tolerant to low temperature at seedling and
vegetative stages
 Safflower comes up better in relatively drier areas
 Frequent and prolonged rains and heavy dew at flowering
stage adversely affect pollination and seed development
 Optimum temperature for flowering is between 24C and
32°C, however, adequate soil moisture reduces the adverse
effect of high temperature
 High temperature also tends to decrease seed weight
 CROP DESCRIPTION

• Plant is highly branched, herbaceous, thistle-like

• Plant height varies from 30-150 cm
• Leaves are spiny or non-spiny

• Inflorescence is broad, flat or slightly curved

and densely bristled
• It is a cross pollinated crop
 GLOBAL SCENARIO
 Safflower is cultivated in more than 20
countries on an average area of 9.55 lakh
ha with a production of 8.09 lakh tonne and
productivity of 846 kg/ha (2012-13 to 2014-
15)

 India has the larger coverage but lower

yield among the major safflower producing
countries
  

AREA, PRODUCTION AND YIELD OF

SAFFLOWER IN MAJOR GROWING COUNTRIES
(A-Area in lakh ha; P-Production in MT; Y-Yield in kg/ha)
Sr. Country 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15
No
A P Y A P Y A P Y
1 Kazakhasthan 2.44 1.27 522 2.76 1.75 633 3.1 1.96 632

2 India 1.78 1.45 815 1.5 1.09 727 1.4 1.13 807

3 Mexico 1.73 2.58 1489 0.81 0.92 1140 1.15 1.44 1260

4 Argentina 1.62 1.08 671 0.88 0.5 569 0.95 0.66 699

5 USA 0.65 0.79 1218 0.69 0.95 1381 0.69 0.95 1373

World 9.65 8.42 873 8.90 7.18 807 10.10 8.68 859

Source: Oilseeds Statistics: A Compendium - 2015, ICAR-Institute of

Oilseeds Research, Hyderabad
 AVERAGE AREA (LAKH HA), OF MAJOR SAFFLOWER GROWING
COUNTRIES (2012-15)

0.68
1.15
2.77

Kazakhasthan
India
Mexico
Argentina
USA

1.23
1.56
AVERAGE PRODUCTION (LAKH MT) OF MAJOR
SAFFLOWER GROWING COUNTRIES (2012-15)

0.79 1.27
1.08

Kazhakstan

India

Mexico
1.45
Argentina

USA

2.58
 NATIONAL SCENARIO
Maharashtra and Karnataka are major
safflower growing States, which
contribute more than 90% of India’s
production

An area of 1.44 lakh ha was covered

under safflower during 2015-16 as
against average area of 2.79 lakh ha
during 11th Plan
 AREA, PRODUCTION AND YIELD OF
SAFFLOWER IN INDIA (AVERAGE 2013-16)
(A-Area in lakh ha; P-Production in lakh MT; Y-Yield in Ql/ha)
Sr. No. State A P Y
1 Andhra Pradesh 0.04 0.04 8.75
2 Karnataka 0.40 0.34 7.83
3 Madhya Pradesh 0.20 21.00 5.75
4 Maharashtra 0.87 0.37 3.75
5 Telangana 0.03 0.02 4.17
  All India 1.44 0.89 5.33
* Fourth Advance Estimates (2015-16)
Source: Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Ministry of
Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, New Delhi.
 AREA, PRODUCTION AND YIELD OF
SAFFLOWER IN INDIA (2013-16)

6 2013-14

4 2014-15

2 2015-16
1

0
Area (lakh ha) Production Yield (ql/ha)
(lakh MT)
 STATE WISE AVERAGE AREA (2013-14 TO 2015-16)
UNDER SAFFLOWER IN LAKH HA

0.04 0.05 0.43 Andhra Pradesh Karnataka

Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra

1.02
0.20 Telanagana
STATEWISE AVERAGE PRODUCTION (2013-14 TO
2015-16) OF SAFFLOWER IN MT

Andhra Pradesh
0.03 0.04

Karnataka
0.37 0.34

Madhya Pradesh

Maharashtra

0.21 Telangana
STATE WISE AVERAGE YIELD (2013-14 TO 2015-16) OF
SAFFLOWER IN KG/HA

625 875

Andhra Pradesh Karnataka

375
Madhya Pradesh Maharashtra

Telangana

575 783
 POTENTIAL DISTRICTS OF SAFFLOWER
(A-Area in lakh ha; P-Production in MT; Y-Yield in kg/ha)
Sr. State / District 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14
No. A P Y A P Y A P Y
  Karnataka

1 Belgaun 0.06 0.03 451 0.05 0.02 337 0.02 0.01 594

2 Bidar 0.09 0.12 1300 0.11 0.11 1027 0.12 0.12 1072

3 Dharwad 0.15 0.07 502 0.11 0.04 355 0.08 0.05 590

4 Gulbarga 0.06 0.04 709 0.05 0.05 983 0.05 0.06 1209

  Maharashtra

1 Hingoli 0.26 0.15 583 0.22 0.14 624 0.22 0.16 737

2 Osmanabad 0.28 0.17 604 0.26 0.13 510 0.25 0.08 325

3 Parbhani 0.39 0.16 404 0.37 0.21 576 0.19 0.11 542

Source: Oilseeds Statistics: A Compendium - 2015, ICAR-Indian Institute of Oilseeds

Research, Hyderabad
 YIELD GAP UNDER FLDs

State Yield kg/ha Yield gap %

 
SAY FLD
Rabi 2013-14 (Irrigated)
Maharashtra 570 1307 129
Rabi-2013-14 (Rainfed)
Karnataka 791 1119 41
Madhya Pradesh 500 929 86
Maharashtra 570 988 73

Source: NMOOP Frontline Demonstrations on Oilseeds, ICAR-Indian Institute of

Oilseeds Research, Hyderabad
 POTENTIAL STATES AND DISTRICTS OF
SAFFLOWER
Sr. No. State District Avg area
2011-14
(000ha)
1 Andhra Pradesh Medak 5.50
    Nizamabad 2.00
    Ranga Reddy 1.50
2 Karnataka Belgaon 4.33
    Bidar 10.67
    Dharwad
    11.33
Gulbarga 5.33
3 Maharasthra Hingoli 23.33
    Osmanabad 26.33
  Parbhani 31.67
Source: Oilseeds Statistics: A Compendium - 2015, ICAR-Indian
Institute of Oilseeds Research, Hyderabad
 PACKAGE AND PRACTICES
Soils:
 Requires fairly deep, moisture retaining and well
drained soil
 Safflower is fairly tolerant to saline conditions

Sowing Time:
 Sowing time varies from State to State
 Optimum time of sowing is from second week of
September to second week of November
 In the State of Karnataka the best time of sowing is
second week of September for rainfed and mid
September to early November for irrigated areas
 PACKAGE AND PRACTICES (contd)
Seed rate:
 10-15 kg/ha is the normal seed rate
 In Chhattisgarh, 10-15 kg/ha seed rate and in Odisha
20 kg/ha seed rate is adopted in rice fallow areas

Spacing:
 Normal spacing in safflower is 45x20 cm
 In Karnataka, 60x30 cm spacing is adopted
 45x20 cm spacing in Chhattisgarh and 30x15 cm
spacing in Odisha is adopted in rice fallow
 PACKAGE AND PRACTICES (contd)
Seed treatment:
 For better germination and plant growth, seed treatment
with Thiram, Captan or Carbendizim @ 3 g/kg is
recommended

Fertilizer Application
 Fertilizer application varies from State to State and as per
soil test
 5-10 t/ha FYM is recommended
 40 kg/ha N and 25-30 kg/ha P2O5 is general
recommendation
 Under irrigated conditions 60 kg/ha N and 40-50 kg/ha P2O5
is recommended
 20-30 kg/ha K2O is recommended in Potash deficit States of
Karnataka UP, MP & Chhattisgarh
 PACKAGE AND PRACTICES (contd)
Plant protection measures
Insect / Integrated disease management
disease

leaf spot Timely sowing, avoiding continuous growing of safflower in

the same field and avoiding growing of safflower in low-lying
areas and flooding under irrigation checks infestation of leaf
spot disease. Spray of Mancozeb (0.25%) controls leaf spot
disease
Rust To control rust, timely sowing, avoiding growing of safflower
in low-lying areas and flooding irrigation and avoiding
continuous growing of safflower in the same field checks
spread of rust. Remove and destroy the diseased plants to
control rust.

Wilt Growing wilt resistant hybrid like MRSA-521, timely sowing,

avoiding growing in low-lying areas and flooding under
irrigation and avoiding continuous growing of safflower
checks wilt disease. Also remove and destroy the diseased
plants.
 PACKAGE AND PRACTICES (contd)
Harvesting and threshing
 Crop becomes ready for harvest when the leaves and
most of the bracteoles become dry and brown.
 Use of hand gloves to protect legs and hands against
spines
 Multi crop thresher and combine harvester for harvesting
and threshing are efficient machines

Irrigation and water management

 In dry land areas under scanty moisture conditions, yield
can be boosted from 40% to 60% by providing one life
saving irrigation (5 to 8 cm) at critical phases of crop
growth (early stem elongation or flowering) or before soil
moisture becomes limiting factor for crop growth
 SATEWISE CROPPING SYSTEMS

State Suggested crop sequence

Transitional tract of Karnataka Green gram – safflower,

(Dharwad, Belgaum and adjoining
areas)
Scanty rainfall areas of Karnataka
(Medium deep black soils of Bijapur
& western parts of Bellary)
Northern Telangana of Andhra
Pradesh (parts of Ranga Reddy and
Mahboobnagar district, Adilabad,
Medak and Nizamabad)
Soybean – safflower,
Groundnut – safflower
Hybrid sorghum – safflower
Green gram-safflower
Green gram – safflower,
Maize-safflower,
Hybrid sorghum – safflower,
Sesame – safflower

Assured moisture areas of Green gram – safflower,

Maharashtra (Khandesh tract, parts of Black gram – safflower,
Marathwada and Vidarbha) Hybrid sorghum – safflower,
Groundnut – safflower,
Sesame – safflower,
Sunflower – safflower
 VARIETIES AND SEED SCENARIO
Hybrid Year of Releasing Yield Oil Recommended Salient features/ traits
release centre potential content states /regions /
(kg/ha) (%) situations
NARI, Non spiny hybrid,
NARI-NH-1 2002 Phaltan 1936 31 All India moderately resistant
to Cercospora leaf
(PH-6) spot, wilt; tolerant to
Alternaria and aphids
NARI, All India -
NARI-H-15 2005 Phaltan 2200 29
MAHYCO, 1000-1500 All India Resistant to wilt;
MRSA-521 2006 Jalna 27 tolerant to Alternaria
(R) and aphids
2200-2500
(I)
NARI, Maharashtra, Suited for Irrigated
NARI-H-23 2013 Phaltan Karnataka, MP, and assured rainfall
Chhattisgarh,
Rajasthan, WB
R= Rainfed; I= Irrigated
 EXPORT AND MSP

Export MSP

Year Qty. Value (Rs. per kg)

(000 tonnes) (Rs. in crore)

2013-14 0.95 3.98 30.00

2014-15 0.68 2.53 30.50

2015-16 1.12 4.03 33.00

Source: Trade Division, DAC&FW, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare

 NUTRITIVE VALUE

 Safflower oil is sold as Saffola, which

is considered to be most preferred oil
due to rich poly-unsaturated fatty acids
content (73-79% of lenolenic)

 Saffola helps in reducing the blood

cholesterol level
 RESEARCHABLE ISSUES

 Development of CMS based hybrids

and varieties with high oil content (35%
to 38%)

 Evolve early maturing and non-spiny

varieties for paddy fallow areas

 Develop integrated insect pest and

disease management modules
 ISSUES / ACTIONABLE POINTS

 Area under Safflower is declining which needs to be promoted

particularly in States like AP and MP which has higher
productivity than national average which needs attention by
concerned States
 Promoting HYV suitable for low productivity States
 Promoting export to developing countries for its health benefits
 Developing production technology and evolving early maturing
& non-spiny varieties by ICAR / SAUs
 Development of IPM modules by ICAR / SAUs
 Covering linseed under MSP and assured procurement
 Popularizing less than 10 year old varieties for adoption by
farmers by the States
Thanks