Telangana has identified a potential for oil palm plantation in an extent of 3 lakh hectares in the state. It sees this as a potential to develop oil palm in 206 mandals of 18 districts. Thus, the Government has decided to develop a demonstration plot at Kadem near Nirmal.

This demonstration facility will come up in a plot of 26 acres that’s identified suitable for oil palm cultivation by a committee appointed by the State government.

Telangana grows oil palm in about 16,000 hectares with an FFB (fresh fruit bunches) production of 63,500 tonnes.

Oil palm is the largest oil yielding crop with 4-6 tonnes of oil per hectare a year. Though the potential of this plantation crop is about 20 lakh hectares in the country, it is grown in only in 2.62 lakh hectars. Cheaper import of refined palm oil and lack of policy support have led to the farmers showing less interest in oil palm.

“After assessing the potential for oil palm plantation, we have set up a committee with representatives from the Horticulture Department, Indian Institute of Oil Palm Research (IIOPR) and Oilfed to study the suitability and potential and to come out recommendations. They have visited the site last week and submitted a reported on Monday,” an official of the Horticulture Department said.

The committee asked the department to provide micro irrigation infrastructure at the site, he said.

“We have accepted their recommendations and will soon implement them. We will train the farmers in oil palm farm management techniques. We have already built a small demonstration centre at near Kamareddy in two acres. After the training, the farmers will be encouraged to grow oil palm in their respective villages,” he said.

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