Raipur:  With the aim of achieving self-sufficiency in edible oils and ensuring long-term and sustainable growth in farmers' income, the National Mission on Edible Oil-Oil Palm Scheme is being effectively implemented jointly by the Central and State governments. Under this scheme, in addition to Central Government grants, the State Government is providing top-up grants in various components to encourage oil palm cultivation, thereby providing financial support to farmers.

          Assistant Director of Horticulture, Mungeli, stated that the state government has provided special assistance, considering the high initial cost of oil palm cultivation and the gestation period of three to four years. In addition to the minimum subsidy of 1.30 lakh rupees per hectare provided by the central government, the state government is providing top-up grants to farmers, so that more and more farmers are attracted to this crop.

     Oil palm is a long-term, low-labor, and high-yield crop. It is extremely disease-prone. Once planted, production begins in the fourth year and provides consistent yields for 25 to 30 years. Compared to traditional oilseed crops, oil palm has a 4- to 6-fold higher oil production per hectare, providing farmers with a stable and assured income.

Additional grants under various heads

       The state government is providing additional subsidy to the eligible farmers planting oil palm as follows: In this, in the maintenance item, by increasing the pre-determined amount of Rs. 5,250 per hectare by Rs. 1,500, totaling Rs. 6,750 per hectare; for intercropping, with the increase, totaling Rs. 10,250 per hectare; farmers adopting drip irrigation system are provided with additional assistance of Rs. 8,635, totaling Rs. 22,765 per hectare; a subsidy of Rs. 54,485 per hectare is provided for fencing to protect the planted plants and intercropping crops from animals. In this way, the state government is providing additional subsidy of up to Rs. 69,620 to the farmers planting oil palm under the heads of maintenance, fencing, intercropping and drip irrigation.

      This subsidy will be payable only to farmers who plant oil palm under the scheme. For detailed information, eligibility, application process, and technical guidance, farmers can contact Horticulture Department officials or authorized representative companies. Cultivating oil palm will not only strengthen farmers' economic status but also strengthen the national resolve to make the country self-sufficient in edible oils.