28-04-2025
Oil Palm: A high-yield alternative for a sustainable future
Chittoor: Palm cultivation is fast becoming a transformative opportunity for farmers, offering high returns, lower risks, and stable income. With oil palm capable of yielding four to six tonnes of oil per hectarethe State Government is actively promoting it as a sustainable and profitable farming option.
The government is encouraging farmers, to shift towards high-yield crops like 'oil palm'. India's per capita edible oil consumption has risen from 15.8 kilograms in 2012-13 to 19 kilograms recently, but domestic production remains inadequate, forcing the country to import. In 2020-21 alone, India imported 133.5 lakh tonnes of edible oil at a cost of Rs.80,000 crore, while producing just 122.89 lakh tonnes domestically.
ChittoorDepartment of Horticulture is spearheading initiatives across mandals like Nagari, Nindra, Vijayapuram, Karvetinagaram, Srirangarajapuram, and Gangadhara Nellore. Private companies such as Godrej Agrovet, FFF, and Amma Oil Palm are partnering in the effort. They are offering free quality seedlings, providing training, and ensuring timely procurement of the harvested produce.
Government is providing substantial financial support. Imported seedlings are subsidised up to Rs30,000 per hectare, while locally produced seedlings receive Rs20,000 per hectare. Farmers will get Rs.10,500 per hectare annually for four years to support intercropping. Subsidies are available for up to 10 acres per farmer. After three years, farmers are encouraged to plant cocoa as an intercrop, backed by Rs30,000 per hectare subsidy.
To shield farmers from market fluctuations, Central Government has created a Rs11,000-crore viability gap fun. Prasad Raj, a farmer from Vijayapuram, shifted from mangoes to oil palm, he sold 27 tonnes of produce to Godrej Company, calling the shift highly profitable.
Technical support from the Indian Institute of Oil Palm Research (IIOPR) and corporate partners is helping farmers achieve superior yields. As cultivation expands, the government plans to establish local oil extraction units.
