States may miss Oil Palm Mission coverage target
India’s Oil Palm Mission is falling short of its target to add 6.64 lakh hectares (lh) under cultivation by 2025–26. So far, less than 2 lh have been covered, with plans to add 2.5 lh more by March 2026. Launched in 2021, the mission aimed to boost crude palm oil production under the NMEO-OP scheme.
The Oil Palm Mission may not be able to meet the target of covering an additional area of 6.64 lakh hectares (lh), in an apparent setback to government’s announcement to make the country self-sufficient in edible oil. There is likely to be a wide gap between what the government targeted and what has been achieved so far.
It is learnt that against the target to cover additional area of 6.64 lh between 2021-22 and 2025-26, less than 2 lh have been planted so far. The plan is to speed up it this year and cover another 2.5 lh by March 31, 2026.
The centrally sponsored scheme, National Mission on Edible Oil – Oil Palm (NMEO-OP), was launched in August 2021. It was aimed at raising crude palm oil production to 11.20 lakh tonnes (lt) by 2025-26 by bringing an additional area of 1.79 lh in north-eastern States and 4.85 lh in nine other States by FY26 end. The scheme is implemented by the Union and State governments in the ratio of 60:40 for general States and 90:10 for N-E states.
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Source : The Hindu Business line
