The State Government has resolved to promote oil palm cultivation in eight lakh acres in different parts of the State.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao approved oil palm cultivation extension project to be taken up with an estimated Rs. 4,800 crore. The project envisaged encouraging oil palm cultivation by offering 50 per cent subsidy to farmers opting for cultivation of the crop.
The Chief Minister recalled that oil palm cultivation would be feasible in such areas where there was availability of irrigated water and farmers could utilize facilities like significantly enhanced availability of irrigated water and 24X7 free power for taking up the crop. The National Reassessment committee of the Central Government had identified 25 districts of the State as suitable to oil palm cultivation and the government had accordingly prioritized promotion of oil palm cultivation in the State.
The Chief Minister reviewed the progress of oil palm cultivation with Agriculture Minister S. Niranjan Reddy and senior officials of Agriculture and Horticulture departments on Monday. According to an official release, oil palm could be cultivated in four acres with the same quantum of water that an acre of paddy would consume.
Cultivation of oil palm as an alternative was mooted as stocks of paddy and other crops were in excess of the demand. As against the 22 million tonne demand for oil annually across the country, oil seeds that could meet the requirement of seven lakh tonne were being cultivated and this was in turn resulting in high cost of imports.
The total extent of oil palm in the country was currently pegged at eight lakh acres and it needed to be extended significantly. The Telangana Government had accordingly decided to promote cultivation of oil palm in eight lakh acres in the State as against the present cultivation on 38,000 acres spread over four districts – Kothagudem, Khammam, Nalgonda and Suryapet.
The government had identified 8.14 lakh acres in 25 districts including Nirmal, Mahbubabad, Kamareddy, Warangal Rural, Nizamabad, Siddipet, Bhupalpally, Peddapalli, Karimnagar, Adilabad and Jagtial among others as suitable for oil palm cultivation.