Oil Palm Cultivation: Union Minister Bhagwanth Khuba holds review meet in Guwahati

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizer Bhagwanth Khuba on Friday held a review meeting here with Assam's Agriculture Minister Atul Bora and Industries Minister Bimal Bora in connection with the target to achieve oil palm cultivation in two lakh hectare of land in the state by 2025-26.

During the review meeting, the Union Minister urged all stakeholders to motivate farmers of the state to opt for oil palm cultivation in a big way. He asked all present at the meeting to rope in the agro-science centres of Assam for the purpose because oil palm cultivation and subsequent oil production have both technical and scientific aspects.

Khuba said that Assam and the North-East as a whole have considerable possibilities in oil palm cultivation and consequently the Centre is ready to provide all necessary assistance for expansion of oil palm cultivation in the region under the 'National Mission on Edible Oil and Palm Oil' scheme.

Assam's Agriculture Minister Atul Bora later told the media that oil palm is already being cultivated in 2084 hectare of land in the Kamrup and Goalpara districts. Overall, 18 districts of the state have been selected for oil palm cultivation, he said, adding that MoUs have been signed in this regard with four companies – Godrej Agro Pvt Ltd, Patanjali Food Ltd, 3F Oil Pvt Ltd and KE Cultivation Pvt Ltd. Bora said that five zones comprising 14 districts have been already allotted to these companies for oil palm cultivation in the state.

Bora further said that the Centre has already accorded approval for setting up oil palm 12 nurseries, five seed farms and six processing units in Assam.

Meanwhile, official sources said that oil palm produces 10 to 40 times more oil per hectare than other oil seed crops like mustard, sunflower or sesame. Oil palm is harvested every 15 days four years after the trees are planted and the estimated income of farmers per hectare is around Rs 3 lakh per annum, the sources said. The major source of palm oil production can be either culturable waste land or fallow land, and Assam has around 6.5 lakh hectare of such land, the sources added.

Also Read:  Assam to Yield Benefits of Palm Oil by 2025, 2 Lakh Hectares Identified for Cultivation

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