India is the second largest producer of oilseeds after China according to 2014 data. Different oilseeds are grown in India, and they cover approximately 12% of the total cropped area of the country. Different oilseeds are grown in India, and they can be divided into two categories.
Edible oilseeds include groundnut (Kharif crop), rapeseed, mustard (rabi crop), sesame (Kharif crop in the north and rabi crop in the south), sunflower and soya bean. These are mostly used as a cooking medium.
Non-edible oilseeds include linseed (rabi crop), castor seed and cottonseed. These are mostly used in paint and varnish, leather industry, and as a raw material in soap-making, cosmetics, and ointments. Drylands of Malwa Plateau, Marathwada, Gujrat, Rajasthan, Telangana and Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka Plateau are oilseeds growing regions of India.
