Archives of Current Research International

India’s structural deficit in edible oil production remains one of its most pressing agricultural policy concerns, leaving the nation heavily reliant on expensive overseas imports. Rapeseed-Mustard (Brassica juncea L.) is arguably the single most strategic crop for curbing this import dependency, with the state of Rajasthan serving as the undisputed heartland of national production. This study offers a comprehensive macro-level evaluation of yield gaps, technological feasibility, and farm-level economic returns by synthesising five years of secondary data (2019–20 to 2023–24) from Cluster Frontline Demonstrations (CFLDs) implemented by Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) under ICAR-ATARI Zone-II across Rajasthan. Utilising established methodological frameworks, we computed the Technology Gap, Extension Gap, Technology Index (TI), Extension Yield Advantage (EYA), and Index of Realized Potential (IRP) alongside detailed profitability parameters. Across the five-year panel, the mean potential yield (Y_p), demonstration plot yield (Y_d), and local farmers’ practice yield (Y_f) were recorded at 25.70 q/ha, 21.32 q/ha, and 16.10 q/ha, respectively. Notably, the mean Extension Gap (5.22 q/ha) consistently exceeded the Technology Gap (4.38 q/ha). This empirical pattern demonstrates that the bottleneck in Indian mustard production is not a lack of viable technology at research stations, but rather an institutional transfer failure characterised by low seed replacement, unscientific fertiliser application, and delayed pest management. Over the study period, the Technology Index dropped from 22.00% to 13.96%, signifying that improved cultivars and package of practices are increasingly adaptable to real-world farming environments. Adopting CFLD practices yielded an average productivity gain of +32.41% over traditional practices, producing an additional net profit of ₹24,300/ha and raising the Benefit-Cost ratio from 3.45 to 4.08. We conclude with targeted extension recommendations, focusing on seed-hub scaling, micronutrient integration, and digital extension delivery to secure national edible oil independence.