India Launches Mega Plantation Drive to Boost Oil Palm Cultivation
National Mission for Edible Oils- Oil Palm Aims to Enhance Production and Reduce Imports
In a significant step towards achieving self-reliance in the production of edible oils, the Government of India has undertaken a massive plantation drive for oil palm cultivation under the National Mission for Edible Oils- Oil Palm. The initiative, taking place throughout July and August 2023, has garnered participation from State Governments and leading Oil Palm processing companies to cover an area of approximately 7750 hectares.
The National Mission for Edible Oils- Oil Palm, launched in August 2021, aims to increase the oil palm production area to 10 lakh hectares and boost the Crude Palm Oil production to 11.20 lakh tonnes by 2025-26. By doing so, the mission also aims to reduce the import burden on edible oils, contributing to the vision of an ‘Aatma Nirbhar Bharat’ or self-reliant India.
The ongoing Mega Oil Palm Plantation drive has seen active involvement from three major oil palm processing companies, namely, Patanjali Food Pvt. Ltd., Godrej Agrovet, and 3F. These companies are collaborating with farmers in various states to expand the oil palm cultivation area, setting the stage for record growth in production.
The plantation drive, which commenced on 25th July 2023, is scheduled to continue until 12th August 2023. The participating states include major oil palm-growing regions such as Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Karnataka, Goa, Assam, Tripura, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Arunachal Pradesh.
In the Rest of India (RoI) states, namely, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Goa, and Karnataka, the drive began on 25th July 2023 and will continue until 8th August 2023. This phase of the drive aims to cover an area of almost 7000 hectares, with Andhra Pradesh and Telangana accounting for over 6500 hectares.
The North-Eastern Region (NER) states, including Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Mizoram, and Nagaland, joined the plantation drive on 27th July 2023 and will participate until 12th August 2023. These states have identified 19 districts for the initiative, targeting an area of more than 750 hectares.
The Government of Assam, during its Mega Plantation Drive from 27th July 2023 to 5th August 2023, aims to cover over 75 hectares across 8 districts. Participating companies in this drive for the state include Godrej Agrovet Ltd., Patanjali Foods Pvt. Ltd., 3F Oil Palm Ltd., and KE Cultivation.
Similarly, the Government of Arunachal Pradesh has set a target to cover an area of nearly 700 hectares across 6 districts from 29th July 2023 to 12th August 2023. The participating companies in this drive for the state are 3F Pvt. Ltd. and Patanjali Foods Pvt. Ltd.
The Mega Plantation Drive for Oil Palm Cultivation is a crucial step towards achieving self-sufficiency in edible oil production and reducing dependence on imports, thereby bolstering India’s agricultural and economic landscape.
