Telangana Government fixes oil palm acreage target at 20L acres

Hyderabad: Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy on Monday said the government has fixed a target of cultivation of oil palm crop in 20 lakh acres across the State.

Replying to questions on encouragement to oil palm by the government by B Suman (TRS) and others, he said the government has allocated factory zones for 11 companies in 26 districts. As per the agreement entered with the State government, the allotted company should establish nurseries for raising oil palm seedlings for supply to farmers in the allotted factory zones. So far 28 nurseries were established by the companies across the State for raising seed sprouts with a capacity to raise 2.25 crore seedlings/yr. Companies have placed indents for import of 3.25 crore seed sprouts. So far 76.71 lakh seed sprouts were received which is sufficient to cover 1.18 lakh acres in 2022-23.

The minister said two processing units were being operated by M/s TS Oilfed with a capacity of 30 MTs per hour each at Ashwaraopet and Apparaopet of Bhadradri-Kothagudem district. As per the agreement with the State government, the allotted companies would establish and commission a fully operational processing unit in the factory zone within 36 months of first plantation in the allotted district. They will also enhance the capacity of CPO unit and refiner from time to time as per the need.

The minister said since oil palm is a new crop in many districts, the department was conducting training programmes and organising exposure visits by farmers of newly notified districts to Bhadradri Kothagudem and Khammam districts for creating awareness on production technology and processing. "The companies are also organising intensive village-level sensitisation meetings to farmers by involving the local public representatives", Reddy stated.