Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Tuesday said the North Eastern states will turn into an oil palm hub of the country with the central government’s major intervention with an outlay of Rs 11,040 crore for the next five years.
Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) G Kishan Reddy urged investors and industrialists to invest in the North Eastern region which has immense potential for the agricultural sector, especially palm oil.
In August, the Union Cabinet approved the National Mission on Edible Oils-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) with a financial outlay of Rs 11,040 crore to promote the domestic cultivation of oil palm in the next five years and reduce the country’’s dependence on edible oil imports.
Addressing a business summit, Tomar said, “The government’s decision for making major intervention in North Eastern states for the oil palm promotion will turn NE states into oil palm hubs of the country.”
Tomar emphasised playing an equal role for the development of the crop and assured to make major investments for seed nurseries, drip irrigation, technical backup, setting of mills, purchase centres, and training of farmers.
“A special package and assistance for NE states will change the socioeconomic status of the farmers and will open employment opportunities in the established oil palm mills along with infrastructure development,” an official statement quoted Tomar having said at the event.