Niranjan Asks Farmers To Grow Oil Palm As Alternative Crop

Hyderabad, Nov.28 (Maxim News): Stating that Telangana has potential for cultivating oil palm crops, Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy exhorted the farmers take them as alternative crops.

During a meeting with a team of officials and scientists from the Centre, Niranjan Reddy reviewed oil palm production. He said some 60 percent of oil palm was being imported into the country. The State government will encourage farmers to produce oil palm crops and reduce its import quota.

Stating that a total of 2.87 lakh hectares was useful for oil palm cultivation in the State, the minister said India occupies fourth position in the world in oil palm production while Telangana State stood at second position in the country. “The farmers should opt for oil palm production as an alternative crop and reap benefits, he said, adding that the State government has set up an oil mill by at a cost of Rs 10 crore at Apparaopet.

He claimed that the State government was providing 100 per cent subsidy to SCs, 90 per cent to BCs and small farmers and 80 per cent to others for sprinkler irrigation. In addition to 24 hour power supply to the farm sector, the State government offers Rs 10,000 per acre towards crop investment, he added. (Maxim News)

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