Areca growers prefer oil palm in Manglaore

Along with arecanut and rubber, oil palm cultivation too is gaining ground in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi as some of the palms planted on 188 hectares (464 acres) in the past two-and-a-half years have flowered now.

With this, some arecanut growers have shifted to oil palm instead of expanding the area under arecanut as traditionally done, or going for rubber. Oil palm has attracted more farmers in Sullia taluk in Dakshina Kannada, where many traditional arecanut plantations have been ravaged by yellow leaf disease and the root grub menace.

The government through an order on January 4, 2012, appointed Godrej Agrovet Ltd. for promoting oil palm cultivation in the two districts under a Centrally-sponsored scheme. The planting had begun in the same year.

According to Pallavi Shigwan, area manager of the company , 214 farmers in Dakshina Kannada had taken up its cultivation on 134 hectares (331 acres) and 77 farmers had gone for it in 54 hectares (133 acres) in Udupi.

In Sullia taluk alone, 58 hectares (143 acres) had come under oil palm with 84 farmers opting for it.

She said the palms flowered 18 months after the planting. But the first harvest started in the fourth year of planting. It was because after the first flowering, its flowers would have to be removed for a year under the “juvenile phase” for the palms to gain strength.

“We are in the flower removal stage now,” Ms. Shigwan said.

Vasanth Bhat Todikana, near Sullia, who planted 1,100 palms on seven hectares, said more than 100 palms on his plantation had flowered. “It best suits to Dakshina Kannada,” Mr. Bhat whose arecanut plantation was affected by the yellow leaf disease, said.

Vasanth Sheth of Shankaranarayana, Kundapur taluk, said he planted 376 palms on seven acres after studying about oil palm. Unlike arecanut, it demands less labour and one need not wait till seven years for harvesting.

Deena M.K., Assistant Director (Horticulture) and Nodal Officer for oil palm cultivation in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Kodagu and Hassan said the government gave subsidy till fourth year of planting. In addition, financial assistance for irrigation, inter-crop cultivation too were available.