Ganigas: Condition of Cold Pressed Oil Industry

Abstract: India is a vast country and the inhabitants of several of its regions have developed specific preference to certain oils among the oils available in the region. For example, people in the south and west prefer groundnut oil while those in the east and north use rapeseed oil. Likewise several segment in the south have a preference for coconut and sesame oils. The economic prosperity of a country like India depends upon the development of agriculture and cottage industry in a balanced manner and it reveals the importance of agriculture in the process of industrial development. The growth of organized industrial sector in the country was started with the development of agro based industries. Oil pressing, in view of its large potential, is now regarded as the sunrise sector of the Indian economy for growth and also exerts a great socio-economic impact specifically on employment and income generation. If properly developed, Oil pressing sector can make India a major player at the global level for marketing and supply of processed food, and feed a wide range of other plant and animal products. Most of the agro processing industries are traditional, cottage-based and small scale and among them, oil mills occupy a predominant place in India. The review of literature reveals that, the studies associated with the prospects and problems of Ganniga community in Karnataka in general and in particular are very low, and the studies associated with oil milling industry either in Karnataka are nil.  It is a traditional oil expeller used by people of Ganiga in districts of Karnataka. It is a simple traditional technology widely distributed in the rural areas. The traditional oil press is used for extraction of oil by a particular community Ganiga who are the oil expeller and oil selling community in Karnataka.