Two multinational companies take over Palm Oil cultivation despite availability of scheme, no training for local cultivators

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, October 9, 2023

More than two years have passed since the Central Agriculture Ministry formally announced a scheme to encourage farmers to cultivate Edible Palm oil. But the Department of Agriculture of the Government of Tripura has not been able to make a proper system of training for the farmers in Tripura for Edible Palm oil cultivation since 2021.

Notably, National Mission on Edible Oil- Oil Palm was introduced from November 2021. The potential area for Oil Palm plantation in Tripura was assessed to be 1,46,364 Ha by ICAR during 2020, much before the scheme was launched. Not only that, central government has approved Annual Action Plan of Rs. 1017.20 lakh during 2022-23 for area expansion in 530 ha. In order to encourage farmers in Edible Oils-Oil Palm cultivation, the Tripura government’s farmer welfare department has announced a scheme for the farmers in Edible Oils-Oil Palm cultivation six months back. But no suitable training system is available in the field level for local farmers in Edible Oils-Oil Palm cultivation.

Meanwhile, Govt of India has allocated Rs.3333.00 lakh for area expansion in 2000 Ha during the year 2023-24 for which Annual Action Plan has already been approved. The State Government has signed MoU with two processors namely M/S Godrej Agrovet Ltd and M/S Patanjali Foods Ltd as technical partners.

Sources from the state secretariat said, the State Government has planned to cover at least 7000 ha by 2026-27. Godrej Agrovet Ltd and Patanjali Food Ltd have already set up nurseries in Nalkata and Jumerdhepa Govt. Orchard at Dhalai and Sepahijala district respectively. Two more are under process in South and Gomati Districts. Both the processors have sown 2,50,000 numbers of exotic sprouted seeds in Nalkata and Jumerdhepa Govt Orchards. These seedlings will cover 1660 ha area during 2024-25. As a part of Mega Plantation Programme M/s Patanjali Foods Ltd covered an area of 4.0 Ha on 4th August, 2023 in West District while M/s Godrej Agrovet Ltd covered an area of 1.0 Ha on 5th August, 2023 in Dhalai. In a word, the Farmers Welfare Department of Tripura has not been able to organize any training facilities in the field level to train the local cultivators for this work, except for handing over some of the established Agri and horti Farms of the Tripura government to two Indian multinational companies.

Sources from the state secretariat said, 18 officers from the State have been trained as Master trainers in Andhra Pradesh by ICAR and two other processors. Altogether 632 interested Oil Palm cultivators have been identified for growing Oil Palm in 516.40 ha area. 1105 farmers participated in 59 awareness programme. But it is ironical that those who have been trained are not training the local interested Oil Palm cultivators.

Sources from the state secretariat said, presently no sufficient number of planting materials is also available in the State for planting during this season as the nurseries have been set up in February-March, 2023. Most of the states are not allowing lifting the planting materials to other states.

Sources from the state secretariat also said that the farmers of the state are facing difficulties to get training, hence demands has been raised by the Oil Palm cultivators to setup one separate Training Institute exclusively for Oil Palm cultivation related training in the State.