First batch of Assam oil palm goes to Visakhapatnam for processing

NMEO-OP IMPLEMENTATION IN ASSAM

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The first batch of 60 MT of oil palm produced by the growers of Goalpara district has left for a processing unit in Andhra Pradesh's Visakhapatnam in the last week, officials of state agriculture department said here on Thursday.

Many farmers have opted to grow oil palm in their fields after the Union Cabinet has approved the National Mission on Edible -Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) on august 18, this year.

Along with Goalpara, the growers in certain pockets of Boko in Kamrup district also chose the oil palm cultivation as profession.

Under the mission a farmer is given Rs 6,500 per hectare for inputs and maintenance and Rs 6,500 the cultivation for inter-cropping in the field.

At present, the oil palm cultivation covers 2,210 hectares of land in both the districts. Notably, oil palm cultivation began in the state in 2015 in 1,600 hectares land in Goalpara and Kamrup district under National Mission of Oil Seed Oil Palm (NMOOP).

The growers have to wait for four years for production from oil palm. After four, years, they will get 25 kg of oil palm per hectare against national average of 15 kg per hectare.

The NMEO-OP is a new Centrally-sponsored scheme with special focus on the Northeast looking into the vast irrigation potential of the region.

"Since oil palm is a adapted to humid tropic climate, high rainfall or alternatively good irrigation potential is essential for successfully growing of this crops. Since majority districts of the state annual rainfall is 2800 mm pr above, it is quite deal for the cultivation. Emphasis has been laid on assuring the optimum potential of different district," the official said.

The scheme with a pegged outlay of Rs11,040 crore has been formulated to provide a boost to palm oil production and reduce dependence on edible oil imports.

Out of its total financial outlay, the Northeast alone gets target of 5850 crore which can bring a revolution on this sector to this region.

Under the scheme, the state agriculture department has planned to cover 2 lakh hectares of land in 17 districts: Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Jorhat, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur, West Karbi Anglong. Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao, Kamrup, Kamrup Metro, Udalguri, Chirang, Bongaigaon, Goalpara, Cachar and Karimganj districts within 2025.

Even as there is no processing unit in the state, the government is planning to set up a processing unit in Goalpara district in private sector.

Also Read: Palm oil plantation: 3.28 lakh hectares to be covered in NE, says Narendra Singh Tomar

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