Question : Palm Oil Production

(a) the State-wise Oil Palm potential in India in hectares vis-a-vis the actual coverage and crude palm oil production in the last five years and the projection for the next ten years;

(b) the constraints and challenges in promoting Oil Palm plantation in the North-Eastern States;

(c) the follow-up action taken on the May 2015 Report prepared by the Ministry and the Solvent Extractors’ Associations’ (SEA) of India on the North-Eastern State potential for Oil Palm;

(d) whether the Government has prepared any roadmap/framework for Indian Palm Oil Sustainability and if so, the details thereof; and

(e) whether the Government is considering to relax land laws for speedy expansion of Oil Palm cultivation and if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
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(a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.




STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 203 DUE FOR REPLY ON 3RD DECEMBER, 2019.

(a): The total Oil Palm potential area in India is estimated at 19.33 lakh hectare in 19 states and actual coverage is 3.49 lakh hectare upto October, 2019 in 16 states of which approximate fruiting area is 1.35 lakh hectare in 8 states. Crude Palm Oil (CPO) production during 2018-19 from fruiting area is 2.78 lakh tonnes. During 2019-20 an area of 17410 hectare has been targeted to cover under oil palm. The details of state-wise potential area, coverage so far, fruiting area and last 5 years CPO production is given at Annexure (a) & (b).

(b): The major constraints & challenges in promoting Oil Palm plantation in the North-Eastern States are;
i. Hilly and undulating topography and non- availability of flat land
ii. Oil Palm has long gestation period and restricts flow to farmers for at least 4-5 years.
iii. Small holding of farmers with limited resources.
iv. Price instability due to fluctuation in international CPO prices.
v. Competition with crops like Tea, Rubber and Areca nut

(c) to (e): Government of India has already given emphasis to promote Oil Palm cultivation in North-Eastern States. The funding pattern of the Government of India scheme which was 50:50 percent share in between Government of India and State Government in 2014-15 has been revised to 90:10 percent share in case of North Eastern states from 2015-16. Mizoram, Assam, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh are implementing National Food Security Mission (NFSM)-Oil Palm Scheme for area expansion. So far 39400 hectare has been covered in these four states up to October 2019 and during 2019-20 an area of 3400 hectare has been targeted.

Since, Agriculture is a State subject, DAC&FW has requested all the potential states to declare Oil Palm as plantation crop to facilitate captive farming and speedy expansion of Oil Palm cultivation in the Country.