Massive Oil Palm Cultivation Initiative: India Gears Up for Mega Plantation Drive in July and August 2023

The government of India's National Mission for Edible Oils - Oil Palm, launched in August 2021, is making significant strides in increasing oil palm production in the country. With the ambitious goal of expanding the oil palm cultivation area to 10 lakh hectares and boosting Crude Palm Oil production to 11.20 lakh tonnes by 2025-26, the Mission is not only enhancing the production of edible oils but also contributing to the vision of an 'Aatma Nirbhar Bharat' by reducing the import dependency on oils.

To further accelerate this growth and promote self-sufficiency, the Government, in collaboration with state governments and major oil palm processing companies, has initiated a Mega Oil Palm Plantation drive from July 25, 2023, to August 12, 2023. The primary objective of this drive is to encourage and support farmers in expanding oil palm cultivation across various states in India.

The Mega Plantation Drive began on July 25, 2023, and will cover several major oil palm-growing states, including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Karnataka, Goa, Assam, Tripura, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Arunachal Pradesh. These states have shown immense potential for oil palm cultivation and play a crucial role in the overall growth of the industry.

In the Rest of India (RoI) states, the drive began on July 25, 2023, and will continue until August 8, 2023, with an estimated area of almost 7000 hectares being targeted for oil palm cultivation. Among these states, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are taking the lead, aiming to cover over 6500 hectares.

In the North-Eastern Region (NER) states, namely Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Mizoram, and Nagaland, the Mega Plantation Drive started on July 27, 2023, and will continue until August 12, 2023. An area spanning more than 750 hectares across 19 districts is earmarked for this initiative.

The state of Assam is actively participating in the drive and has set a target to cover an area of more than 75 hectares across eight districts during the Mega Plantation Drive, which will last from 27th July 2023 until 5th August 2023. Godrej Agrovet Ltd., Patanjali Foods Pvt. Ltd., 3F Oil Palm Ltd., and KE Cultivation are among the key companies supporting this initiative in Assam.

Similarly, the Government of Arunachal Pradesh is committed to expanding oil palm cultivation over an area of nearly 700 hectares across six districts during the drive from July 29, 2023, until August 12, 2023. To achieve this goal, 3F Pvt. Ltd. and Patanjali Foods Pvt. Ltd. are actively involved in supporting the state.