Page 22 - NIS English, December 16-31,2022

Cover Story 2022: Year of Willpower

OIL PALM AS A Small farmers in the country will get

NEW PATH TO huge benefits from oil-palm farming.
The per-hectare production of oil palm
is very high as compared to other
AATMANIRBHAR oilseed crops. This means that by

growing more crops in a very small
BHARAT area, small farmers can earn big

profits from the Oil-Palm Mission.

The determination shown in the past, such Narendra Modi, Prime Minister
as for wheat, paddy, is now being applied in
India to the production of edible oil, with the
goal of becoming self-reliant in edible oil.
National Mission on Edible Oil—Oil Palm—
was established to accomplish this.

More than 11 thousand crores of rupees
will be invested in the edible oil ecosystem
through this mission. The government
will ensure that farmers have access to
everything they need, from quality seeds
to cutting-edge technology. Apart from
encouraging the cultivation of oil palm, this
mission will also encourage the cultivation
of other traditional oilseed crops.
Since India is an agricultural exporter,
its reliance on imported edible oil is not
justifiable given that the country's demand
is 2.5 crore metric tonnes higher than
domestic production of 1.1 crore metric
tonnes. India has increased its efforts to
reverse this trend.

To make India self-sufficient in the field
of edible oil, an area of 28 lakh hectares,
including 9.62 lakh hectares in the north-
eastern states, has been assessed for
palm-oil cultivation. As a result of the
Centre’s focus on the North East region
and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the
assistance amount has increased. 11,04 0 crore mission focuses on
expanding the area and
Farmers will profit greatly, capital ` `11,040 production of oilseeds,
investment and job creation will increase, specifically palm oil.
and reliance on imports will decrease.
The Centre has signed an agreement with Presently, about 3 lakh hectares of land are under
nine state governments for viability gap palm cultivation, whereas studies have shown that
payments and finalised revised annual about 28 lakh hectares of land in the country are
action plans for 11 states that include new suitable for palm cultivation.
Mission provisions.

20 New India Samachar December 16-31, 2022