Groundnut oil extraction entrepreneurship: A gateway to farmers’ economic sustainability

Abstract

Oilseeds are major crops in dry lands of Andhra Pradesh, India. The oilseeds include groundnut, coconut, sesame and sunflower. In India, value addition is in its primordial stage due to lack of knowledge among farmers. This requires imparting skills to the farmers regarding value addition, marketing and branding for converting them into successful entrepreneurs. As a part of this, Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University thought of increasing the income of the farmers so as to make them economically sustainable. Accordingly training on establishment and running of cold pressed oil extraction units (oil mills) was established. Two units were established at Kurnool and Anantapur districts where a single unit on an average is generating a net income of `31,475 per month. With the advent of this intervention, the farmers are getting additional income and thus many farmers are utilizing the opportunity.