Oilseeds Farming: In order to increase the production of edible oils in the country, emphasis is being laid on cultivation of oilseed crops in the country itself. There has always been a great demand for edible oils in the country. Due to increasing consumption, many edible oils have to be imported from other countries as well, but in order to make them self-sufficient in the production of oilseeds, the government has launched the National Edible Oil Palm Oil Mission (NMEO-OP) scheme. Earlier this farming was limited only to the rainforests, but today palm oil is being cultivated in more than 50,000 hectares of land in more than 15 states of India. By cultivating a palm that gives production 24 times in 12 months, harvesting can be taken for 6 to 7 years. These days palm cultivation is being promoted in the northeastern states as well. The government provides financial assistance from palm nursery to cultivation.
Why Palm Farming
Total 56% of oil consumption in India is being imported from abroad. This imported oil contains 80 percent palm oil only. Palm cultivation is being encouraged to reduce the import of such large quantities of oil and to increase the production of indigenous oil. The risk of pest-disease is also less in this crop, so one can earn bumper profits from palm farming with less cost and less loss. The good thing is that even animals do not destroy this crop. In many ways, palm farming is also responsible for saving foreign exchange. In India, betel cultivation is being done prominently in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam, Kerala, Gujarat, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Tripura, West Bengal and the Andaman Islands.
Government gives money
To promote the cultivation of palm, the central government has run the National Edible Oil Oil-Palm Oil Mission. Under this scheme, the target is to increase the area of the betel crop, which produces the most oil, by 40 percent. Under Mission Palm Oil, the government gives a grant at the rate of Rs 29,000 per hectare for planting palm trees. Earlier the grant amount was Rs 12,000 per hectare. Apart from this, financial assistance of Rs 250 per tree is also given for the care and rejuvenation of old trees. In this way the burden of cost of palm cultivation does not fall directly on the farmers.
Grant for palm nursery also
Every year 11 thousand saplings are being planted through the Central Government’s Mission Palm Oil. Under the Mission Palm Oil Scheme, if plants are prepared from palm seeds in any farmer or nursery, then the government will also give financial help to him. There is a provision of financial assistance of Rs 80 lakh for about 15 hectares. 1 crore is given for 15 hectares of nursery in the North Eastern states and Andaman. Apart from this, an amount of Rs 40 lakh has been earmarked for the preparation of orchards from seeds and Rs 50 lakh for Andaman and North-Eastern states. If seen in a way, for the coastal areas, low-cost agriculture can give bumper profits.
How much is the production
Statistics of the Ministry of Agriculture show that betel cultivation is currently being done in 3.5 lakh ton hectare area in India, which is being targeted to be taken beyond 6.5 lakh hectare by the year 2025-26 through Mission Palm Oil. Through this scheme, there is a plan to expand palm cultivation in the eastern coastal states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Assam, Tripura and Mizoram in the next two years. Godrej, Agrovet, Patanjali Foods and 3F Oil Palm Agrotech Industries are playing an important role in this work.
Disclaimer: Some of the information given in the news is based on media reports. Farmer brothers, before implementing any suggestion, do consult the concerned expert.