From Saplings to Water Pumps, Government Provides Subsidies
Kalahandi, YNN (Lingaraj Mishra): As palm oil has become a staple in Indian kitchens, its skyrocketing prices have left consumers worried and created a headache for the government. In just five years, the price of palm oil has surged from ₹50 per kg to ₹160 per kg. Much like the soaring prices of vegetables, purchasing cooking oil, particularly palm oil, has become a costly affair for consumers. Previously, India imported palm oil from Malaysia and Indonesia, but those imports have now ceased. The shortage of this essential commodity, critical to every household’s daily needs, has led to an unreasonable price hike.
Currently, farmers in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and West Bengal are engaged in oil palm cultivation. In Odisha, farmers are also turning to palm oil farming in their fields, aiming for financial prosperity. The Odisha government is supporting farmers with subsidies to encourage this shift. Many farmers in Rayagada and Kalahandi districts have joined the government’s palm oil cultivation scheme and are focusing on this crop. The state government, through the district horticulture department, is implementing the palm oil farming subsidy scheme in collaboration with “Survey Sai Edible Oil” company. In Kalahandi district, farmers across all 13 blocks are being provided free saplings. Horticulture department officials are coordinating closely to identify farmers with suitable land and water facilities, preparing lists to distribute free saplings.
Farmers who previously grew labour-intensive and costly crops like cotton, banana, and cashew, often facing losses, are now showing keen interest in palm oil farming under the government’s subsidy scheme. The government is providing free saplings to farmers and offering motor pumps at subsidised rates to those cultivating one hectare of land. Additionally, farmers interested in cultivating palm oil on five acres are eligible for a 50% subsidy, up to a maximum of ₹50,000. For palm oil trees planted at 9-metre intervals, the government provides ₹21,000 per hectare for intercropping over four years, ₹21,000 for maintenance, ₹15,000 for constructing vermicompost tanks, and drip irrigation pipes at an 80% subsidy. Several other incentives are also being offered to encourage farmers to take up this cultivation.
These hybrid palm oil trees begin yielding fruit within three years of planting. Farmers can harvest 20 to 30 tonnes of fruit per acre per month, with the government setting a support price of ₹18,700 per tonne. Additionally, the central government provides bonuses to farmers. Palm oil trees continue to bear fruit for 30 years, offering long-term income. The government also purchases the produce from farmers at a fair price each month. In Narla block’s Shergarh Gram Panchayat, a successful 25-acre palm oil farm is operational in Dengsargi village. Farmers in other areas like Bagpur, Bilat, Narla, Chhatamahul, and Kamegaon in Narla block are also cultivating palm oil under the subsidy scheme. The government’s goal is to ensure farmers achieve financial prosperity through oil palm cultivation.
