‘Telangana must reach top in oil palm cultivation’
Hyderabad: Telangana State must reach the top position in oil palm cultivation in the country as it has immense potential, Agriculture Minister Singireddy Niranjan Reddy said on Wednesday.
Reviewing oil palm cultivation at the Telangana Horticulture Training Institute (THTI) here, he said Telangana had set a target to take up cultivation in 8.14 lakh acres in the next four years and if necessary, seed that yield more oil should be imported.
Eight companies had inked a pact with Horticulture department to take up cultivation in 4.61 acres in 15 districts in the State. As per the agreement, the companies should get the crop cultivated in time.
According to the Minister, it is the responsibility of companies to supply quality oil palm plants to the interested farmers and they should also identify lands suitable for oil palm cultivation along with availability of water with the assistance of Horticulture department.
The Minister underscored the need to take the assistance of experienced agriculture graduates to help farmers on all aspects right from taking up cultivation to maintaining them apart from ensuring technical assistance to farmers.
More camps must be organised at the field-level to create awareness among farmers, he said, adding that officials concerned should explain in detail to farmers about the advantages in cultivating oil palm. The companies should set up nurseries by adhering to the guidelines of Indian Institute of Oil Palm Research.
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