Northeast Desk, 30th November: The Tripura government has set an ambitious target of bringing 7000 hectares of land under palm oil cultivation by the financial year 2026-27, according to Agriculture Minister Ratan Lal Nath. Currently, palm oil plants are cultivated in 56.35 hectares of land in the northeastern state. The expansion plan involves utilizing the findings of digital mapping conducted in 2020 by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Indian Institute of Oil Palm Research, identifying 1,46,364 hectares of land for potential cultivation.
Agriculture Minister Ratan Lal Nath stated, “Of that, 7000 hectares of land would be brought under palm oil cultivation by 2026-27.” To support this initiative, the Agriculture Department has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Godrej Agrovet Ltd and Patanjali Food Private Ltd under the National Mission on Edible Oil. Godrej Agrovet Ltd has established a nursery at Nalkata in Unakoti district and planted palm plants on 52.01 hectares of land, while Patanjali Food Pvt Ltd has planted palm plants in 56.35 hectares.
Minister Nath emphasized the state’s potential in palm oil cultivation and revealed that 18 officers have been sent to Andhra Pradesh for training on palm oil cultivation. “The department has already imparted training to 2123 farmers, with 1076 expressing interest in raising palm oil plants for better returns,” he added. Palm oil is obtained from a palm tree four years after plantation, and farmers can harvest it for 30 years.
Highlighting the significance of palm oil cultivation in the hilly state, Nath affirmed, “If the plan is successful, the farmers will be benefited in the future.” Currently, major oil palm-growing states in India include Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Karnataka, Goa, Assam, Tripura, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Arunachal Pradesh. Globally, countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Cambodia, and Thailand contribute to 90 per cent of palm oil production.