Oil palm cultivation in Siddipet from June 4

Though the district was permitted to cultivate oil palm in 50,000 acre, the Horticulture officer said the plantation will be taken up in a phased manner.

Siddipet: With farmers of Siddipet district permitted to take up oil palm cultivation from the coming Vanakalam season, the district administration is gearing up to start the plantation of oil palm in the district on June 4.

Horticulture Officer K Ramalakshmi said that the administration had made all arrangements to complete the plantation in 1,000 acre in June and July and another 5,000 acres by the end of 2021-22 cropping season. She said 160 farmers from across the district have been selected to take up the plantation in 1,000 acre during June and July.

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Though the district was permitted to cultivate oil palm in 50,000 acre, the Horticulture officer said the plantation will be taken up in a phased manner. Stating that farmers will get the saplings free on first come first served basis, Ramalakshmi said the administration will also provide drip irrigation facility on subsidy besides providing them work days under MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Guarantee Scheme). Since the Centre has permitted Telangana to grow oil palm in various districts, the State government is raising oil palm saplings at a nursery in the Horticulture University near Mulugu in Siddipet district.

The Horticulture Officer gave a presentation of oil palm cultivation during a review meeting with Finance Minister T Harish Rao on Thursday.

Underlining the importance of cultivating diverse crops in Siddipet district with the objective of improving profits for farmers, Harish Rao instructed the Horticulture officials to sensitise the farmers to cultivate mulberry in at least 400 acre this year.

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