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Raipur : With the aim of making them self-reliant in edible oils and ensuring long-term and permanent increase in the income of farmers, the National Mission on Edible Oil-Oil Palm Scheme is being effectively implemented jointly by the Central and State Governments. Under this scheme, to encourage the cultivation of oil palm, in addition to the grant from the Central Government, the state government is providing top-up grant in various components, so that the farmers can get financial support.
Assistant Director Horticulture Mungeli said that keeping in mind the high initial cost of oil palm cultivation and the gestation period of 03 to 04 years, provision of special assistance has been made by the state government. In addition to the minimum grant of Rs 1.30 lakh per hectare given by the Central Government, the state government is providing top-up grant to the farmers, so that more and more farmers are attracted towards this crop.
Oil palm is a long lasting, low labor and high productivity crop. There is very less possibility of disease outbreak in this. Once planted, production starts from the fourth year and this crop gives continuous yield for 25 to 30 years. Compared to traditional oilseed crops, oil palm has 4 to 6 times more oil production capacity per hectare, thereby providing farmers the benefit of stable and assured income.
Additional grants under various items
The state government is providing additional grant to the eligible farmers planting oil palm as follows, in which the maintenance item has been increased by Rs 1 thousand 500 from the previously fixed amount of Rs 5 thousand 250 per hectare, a total of Rs 6 thousand 750 per hectare, with the increase for intervening crops, a total of Rs 10 thousand 250 per hectare, an additional amount of Rs 08 thousand 635 will be given to the farmers adopting drip irrigation system. A total grant of Rs 22 thousand 765 per hectare is provided including assistance, Rs 54 thousand 485 per hectare is provided for fencing to protect the planted plants and intervening crops from animals. In this way, the state government is providing a total additional grant of up to Rs 69 thousand 620 for maintenance, fencing, intercropping and drip irrigation to the farmers planting oil palm.
This grant will be payable only to those farmers who will plant oil palm under the scheme. For detailed information related to the scheme, eligibility, application process and technical guidance, farmers can contact Horticulture Department officials or authorized representative companies. Oil palm cultivation will not only strengthen the economic condition of the farmers, but will also strengthen the national resolve to make the country self-reliant in edible oils.
