The Dhara brand of edible oils was launched in 1989. Dhara's creation added value to the return of the producers and provided a stable supply of quality oil to the consumers at a fair price. For the first time in India, edible oil was made available in tamper-proof tetra pack. Today, Dhara has a wide spectrum of edible vegetable oils.

Dhara edible vegetable oils are packed at packaging stations all over India. To ensure that the oil which reaches the consumer is of high purity, it passes through stringent quality control tests using sophisticated analytical instruments like High Pressure Liquid Chromatography and Thin Layer Chromatography. These tests can even detect very low level of contamination caused by adulterants.

To enable oil cooperatives to become more profitable so that, in turn, they can pay remunerative prices to their producer members, DOFCO works towards finding attractive export avenues for agri-commodities produced in the project area. It also assists international organizations viz. CARE and World Food Programme to monetize donated oil.

With active support from DOFCO, the Delhi University's Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants (CGMCP) is working on the development of rapeseed-mustard hybrids and double zero mustard using conventional and biotechnological tools. Five international patents have been filed based on these discoveries. Several double zero rapeseed-mustard lines have been developed under the quality improvement programme sponsored by DOFCO at the Botany Department of the Nagpur University.

Earlier, under a similar assistance programme, the Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya (HPKVV), Kangra released 'Neelam', a '00' B. napus variety for cultivation.

Hybrid sunflower seed production and marketing

To improve productivity, DOFCO supports programmes in the area of production and marketing of hybrid seeds. Presently, a pilot project on the production and marketing of sunflower hybrid seed is being implemented in Karnataka with the help of the Directorate of Oilseeds Research, Hyderabad and the State Agricultural University.

Popularisation of Plastic Mulch Technology in Groundnut (PMG)

To help increase groundnut yield, demonstrations have been organized in Saurashtra and Kutch using polythene mulch.

Product & Process Development

Sugam Shakti, a dal analogue, resembling natural 'tur dal' and containing about 30 per cent protein content has been developed using soya flour and wheat flour.

Sugam Khichdi, a nutritional blend of rice and vitamin and mineral enriched dal analogue has been supplied under various nutrition supplement programmes and flood/earthquake relief operations.

Captain Crunch - Groundnut Chikki, a low-cost high nutrition snack for malnourished children has been developed under a programme supported by the Department of Bio-technology (DBT).