TS is an emerging leader in palm oil production; Union Minister

Hyderabad: Union agriculture and farmers welfare minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Tuesday said Telangana is an emerging leader in oil palm production. Speaking after inaugurating the Business Summit on National Mission on Edible Oils held at HICC in Madhapur here on Tuesday, Mr. Tomar said the Centre wants to make India self-reliant in palm oil.

"Currently, about three lakh hectares of land is under palm oil cultivation while studies have shown that about 28 lakh hectares of land is suitable for palm oil cultivation in the country. It is our mission to bring 28 lakh hectares of land under cultivation to make India Aatmanirbhar in edible oil," he said.

Appreciating the efforts made by the Telangana government to increase palm oil production, Mr. Tomar said he saw Telangana as an emerging leader in oil palm production. Talking about the scope of natural farming in the state, he called upon the government to adopt and promote natural farming to reduce the production cost without hampering production.

The minister expressed happiness at the progress made under the National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm since the first Business Summit held in Guwahati, Assam. He said the Centre had signed an MoU with nine state governments for viability gap payment, finalized revised annual action plans (AAPs) of 11 states incorporating new provisions of the Mission, and organized a national workshop on oil palm in Arunachal Pradesh.

The AAPs of 11 states worth Rs. 106.90 crore were approved for area expansion in 6,563 hectares, replanting in 3,058 hectares, intercropping in 25,197 hectares of existing and new oil palm orchards, and drip irrigation facilities in 1,569 hectares of palm orchards.

Four processing mills will be established in the northeastern states with subsidies from the Mission. In addition, three seed gardens and 39 nurseries will be created to increase the availability of seed sprouts and seedlings, the minister said.

Vermicompost sheds (360) for production of quality organic manure and custom hiring centres (18) for renting garden tools will also be made operational in the current year, he said adding that a meeting was held with Indian ambassadors of major oil palm sprouts exporting countries to ensure uninterrupted supply of quality planting materials in large quantities.

Union minister of state for agriculture Kailash Choudhary said that at present, India was importing edible oil but the business summit would prove important in finding a solution. Expressing his confidence in the Mission, he said that with the help of scientists' research, farmers' hard work and the government's support, this mission will achieve its target and will make a significant contribution in making India self-reliant. In order to boost the edible oils' production, remunerative prices and assured procurement of oilseed crops is being implemented by the government, he added.