Oil palm plantation stimulates rainfall in Andhra Pradesh: ICAR scientist
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, December 27 2024: Contrary to popular concerns about deforestation and soil degradation linked to large-scale oil palm plantations in Manipur, principal scientist (agriculture extension) Dr MV Prasad of ICAR-IIOPR, Irulu, Andhra Pradesh claimed that oil palm plantation has enhanced rainfall in the southern state of India.

Dr MV Prasad shared this information with a state delegation that recently visited Andhra Pradesh on an exposure trip - to learn about oil palm cultivation - organised by the Directorate of Agriculture, Government of Manipur.

The state team visited different oil palm plantation fields in Irulu district of Andhra Pradesh and got the chance to discuss on the pros and cons of oil palm plantation.

During an interaction, Dr MV Prasad informed the team that it was totally wrong and misleading that oil palm plantation in countries like Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand have stopped due to its impact on environment and damage caused to soil.

In fact, the nature of oil palm plantation in Southeast Asian countries and India are totally different and not comparable, he claimed.

In India, oil palm plantation is being done by farmers as per their wishes and it not only improves their economy but also helps in preserving nature.

In complete contrast to India, oil palm plantation in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand are being done by multi-national companies after acquiring lands on lease.

Accordingly, multi-national companies see only profit and never care for the environment thereby causing large-scale deforestation and environment degradation, Dr MV Prasad explained to the team.

According to the principal scientist, Andhra Pradesh is located very close to sea and the state's annual rainfall is low.

However, oil palm plantation enhanced rainfall since the past few years consequently making more areas of the state green and helping in combating carbon emission.

All types of crops could be planted in the first three years of oil palm plantation and inter-cropping could be done till seventh year of oil palm plantation.

The same method is applied in oil palm plantation in Irulu district, maintained MV Prasad, who also accompanied the state team to oil palm fields in the district with inter-cropping.

He further informed the state team that oil palm tree requires abundant water along with conveying the tree variety cannot be planted in hills above 1,000 metres from mean sea level.

Accordingly, oil palm trees should be planted in foothills of Manipur and other North East states.

There is no need to clear forest for oil palm plantation on high hills of the NE states.

With all the NE states receiving adequate annual rainfall, the government took up a scheme for oil palm plantation with 90 percent support.

However, oil palm farmers of Andhra Pradesh are not getting any help from the government and take up plantation as per their wishes, he added.

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