Oil palm plantation suitable in NE states: MS Khaidem
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, August 29 2022: Oil Palm Mission, Manipur consultant MS Khaidem has claimed that there has no report of causing environment degradation in 135 years of oil palm plantation in India and oil palm trees continue to be planted in Manipur too as ornamental tree since the past many years.

In an exclusive interview, MS Khaidem informed The People's Chronicle that a farmer has to cultivate different high valued crops along with oil palm plantation and one oil palm tree will start providing income after five years.

A farmer could produce 15-20 metric tonne product when oil palm is planted in one hectare area and could easily generate income of Rs 1.5-2 lakh when ripe oil palm seeds are sold at the rate of Rs 10 per kilogram.

Apart from this, a farmer could earn additional income from high value crops planted together with oil palm and this income will continue for 30 years, he said.

When asked if oil palm plantation would not affect environment, MS Khaidem said it is important to discuss environmental impact when a project is taken up but there has been no report of environmental degradation in 135 years of oil palm plantation in India.

Citing reports of ICAR and Andhra Pradesh based Indian Institute of Oil Palm Research (IIOPR), Khaidem said oil palm plantation is suitable in North Eastern states which receive very high rainfall and have high humidity.

The reports also mentioned that oil palm trees grown in one hectare area could absorb 29.3 metric tonne carbon dioxide in a year, he said adding that commercial oil palm plantation had already begun in NE states like Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland and Tripura from 2004-05.He also said that Government of India had already given approval for oil palm plantation in 500 hectare area in Jiribam district and palm tree allowed for commercial purposes are oil palm, areca nut palm, coconut palm and date palm while the remaining palm trees are ornamental ones.

About the profitability of one oil palm tree, the Oil Palm Mission, Manipur consultant said lifespan of oil palm tree is 30 years and has three phases.

The first beginning from one to three years is known as juvenile period and the second from four to eight years is known as stabilising period while the last phase beginning from nine to 30 years is known as stabilised period.

Oil palm is the biggest global market for cooking oil and it is the biggest source of vegetable oil in the world, he added.

When asked about Government of India's commercial oil palm plantation programme in more districts of Manipur other than Jiribam, MS Khaidem informed that preparations have been made to take up oil palm plantation in 66,652 hectares area in six districts of Manipur.

The Centre has identified 14,516 hectares in Imphal West, 18,475 hectares in Thoubal, 10,389 hectares in Bishnupur, 11,662 hectares in Churachandpur, 6,803 hectares in Chandel and 4808 hectares in Ukhrul districts for commercial oil palm plantation while Jiribam district has been identified as the district having highest potential for oil palm plantation in the state, he said.

Regarding the materials required in oil palm plantation, MS Khaidem said processors will provide good quality oil palm saplings and they will also purchase produces of the farmers.

In one hectare of land, 143 oil palm saplings will be planted in triangular mode and high valued crops could be planted between the gaps while technical support for plantation will be provided by ICAR/IIOPR.

In this regard, Oil Palm Mission, Manipur under state agriculture department is communicating frequently with ICAR/IIOPR, he added.

According to MS Khaidem, Manipur Oil Palm (Regulation of Production and Processing) Bill, 2001 had already been passed by the state assembly for profitability of farmers from the project and to protect their interest and the Bill had already been implemented from October 11, 2021.He also said that Government of India is prepared to announce buyable price every year in November to prevent farmers from annihilation in taking up the project and buyable gap management mechanism for farmers of NE had already been introduced.

At least one palm processor or company is required for starting the project and this company has to provide material, technical support, extension service apart from purchasing farmers' produces.

In this regard, the Government of Manipur had recently signed an MoU with Godrej Agrovet Private Limited, MS Khaidem informed.

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