Telangana has the potential to become one of the largest oil palm cultivators in the country due to availability of fertile land and favourable conditions that exist for growing the crop, a leader of the oil palm industry has said.
From the present 45,000 acres, across four districts, where oil palm is grown, there is a potential to increase the cultivable land for the edible oil crop in the State to 7 lakh acres, said Sanjay Goenka, President of Oil Palm Developers and Processors Association and MD and CEO of 3F Oil Palm.
Noting that the State has identified 25 districts, including the four, with potential to grow oil palm, he said multiple irrigation projects have contributed to improved conditions making Telangana a prominent state for oil palm plantation and processing activities.
Bringing more land under oil palm cultivation would not only help meet Telangana’s current edible oil requirement, which is around four lakh tonnes per annum, but also supply to other states.
At present, oil palm is grown in Nalgonda, Suryapet, Khammam, Bhadradri districts. It is cultivated on about 45,000 acres, leading to production of 30,000 tonnes of crude palm oil.
In a release, Mr. Goenka said Telangana is well poised to leverage the opportunity due to its pro-farmer policies such as Rythu Bandhu, growth in irrigation facilities, availability of water, free and quality power supply round the clock. The focused approach of the State government coupled with the Centre’s subsidy support – to the tune of about ₹2.7 lakh per hectare – will benefit farmers adopting this crop.
More area under oil palm cultivation would also result in investment in rural area as the processing units need to be located closer to the plantations.
