Guwahati, August 09, 2023: In a significant move towards achieving Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of self-reliance in edible oil production, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the commencement of a large-scale oil-palm plantation initiative by the state government. The visionary project was unveiled on Tuesday with the aim of revolutionizing the agro-economy and empowering farmers to elevate their income prospects.
Addressing the media during the launch of the cultivation program, Chief Minister Sarma highlighted the potential impact of oil palm plantation on the state’s economic landscape. He expressed the strong interest among farmers to embrace this new crop, foreseeing its role in bolstering their earnings.
“Assam has taken a crucial step in this momentous journey, initiating the oil palm cultivation effort from the Tinsukia district. Our goal is to cultivate an expansive 3.75 lakh hectare area with oil palm,” asserted Sarma.
In a strategic partnership, the state government has collaborated with Patanjali Food Limited (PFL) to realize the oil-palm plantation project across seven districts, namely Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Golaghat, Jorhat, Nagaon, Kamrup, Kamrup (Metro), and Goalpara.
The founder of Patanjali Food Limited, Ramdev, elaborated on the company’s plans to support this venture. Ramdev shared, “PFL aims to establish 16 nurseries by the following year, dedicated to providing high-quality seeds to our dedicated farmers.” He specified that 12 nurseries would be set up within the aforementioned districts this year, followed by an additional four by the subsequent year.
As part of their commitment to this endeavor, Patanjali Food Limited will also establish an oil palm processing facility in Dhing, situated within the Nagaon district.
Symbolizing the inauguration of this monumental project, Chief Minister Sarma and Ramdev jointly planted oil palm saplings. The event marked the initial steps in what is expected to be a transformative journey for Assam’s agricultural sector.
To foster knowledge dissemination and engagement among farmers, stalls offering valuable information were set up as part of the launch event. Chief Minister Sarma toured these stalls, expressing his confidence in the substantial positive impact that oil palm plantations will have on the agricultural income of the state.
The inauguration of the mega oil-palm plantation initiative signifies Assam’s resolute commitment to achieving self-reliance in edible oil production, aligning closely with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s overarching vision for the nation’s economic prosperity.
Source: PTI
