Andhra Pradesh begins drive to make oil palm yield profitable
To boost oil palm cultivation, the Andhra Pradesh government, in collaboration with 3F Oil Palm Pvt. Ltd, launched a farmer awareness drive across 50 villages in Eluru, West Godavari, and East Godavari. The campaign educates farmers on best practices to increase productivity and profitability. Andhra Pradesh, leading in oil palm cultivation, supports India’s edible oil self-sufficiency mission.
Vijayawada: In a move to make oil palm cultivation profitable, state govt has initiated an extensive farmer awareness programme.A leading oil palm production firm-3F Oil Palm Pvt. Ltd has joined hands with govt in taking up the massive awareness drive. The initiative is being conducted in Eluru, West Godavari, and East Godavari districts, covering a total of 50 villages. Andhra Pradesh is the leading producer of oil palm in the country. The program focuses on educating farmers about best practices in oil palm farming, including agronomy techniques, input management, disease control, and sustainable harvesting methods. Through interactive sessions, demonstrations, and expert consultations, the campaign seeks to empower farmers with the knowledge and tools necessary to increase productivity and profitability. India currently imports over 60% of its edible oil requirements, with annual imports exceeding 13 million tonnes. To counter this, Union govt launched the National Mission on Edible Oils–Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) with the goal of bringing an additional 6.5 lakh hectares under oil palm cultivation by 2025–26.
A senior horticulture official said that Andhra Pradesh plays a pivotal role in this mission as it contributes more than 60% of India’s total oil palm cultivation. With over 1.5 lakh hectares currently under oil palm yield, the state is a key driver in reducing dependency on imports and enhancing domestic production.”This joint effort underscores the commitment of both 3F Oil Palm and the horticulture department to boost the oil palm sector in the state and contribute to the larger goal of self-reliance in edible oil production. The program is expected to directly benefit hundreds of farmers, creating a ripple effect in improving oil palm cultivation standards across the region,” said Srinivas Rao Kilari, head of agricultural unit at 3F Oil Palm Pvt. Ltd.It is noted that the company has been engaged in oil palm development program in India since the project commenced in the early 1990s. Due to its continued vision towards this project, they have invested in, and are actively carrying out operations in five states in the country.
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Source : The Times Of India
