New Delhi [India], January 6 : The Minister of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan has urged all states to intensify their efforts under the National Mission on Edible Oils - Oil Palm (NMEO-OP).
This mission serves as a cornerstone of India's vision to achieve self-sufficiency in edible oil production, reduce dependence on imports and enhance farmer incomes.
Launched to promote domestic oil palm cultivation, the mission aims to bring 6.5 lakh hectares under oil palm plantations by 2025-26. Special emphasis is being placed on leveraging the agro-climatic potential of the North-eastern region and other oil palm-growing states.
While significant progress has been made in certain regions, others need to accelerate their efforts. The under utilization of allocated funds and delays in achieving plantation targets underscore the urgency for a more focused and coordinated approach.
Quoted by Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare in a release, Chouhan emphasised the need for states to prioritise achieving their plantation targets by addressing bottlenecks and mobilizing available resources. With substantial unspent funds under NMEO-OP, states are encouraged to enhance resource utilisation for infrastructure development, farmer support, and plantation expansion.
States must also intensify farmer engagement, tackle challenges such as misinformation, and expedite the disbursal of assistance to ensure farmer satisfaction and sustained participation, the release added.
To improve transparency and efficiency, the government has introduced initiatives such as digital monitoring through geo-mapping and drone surveillance. The Minister urged states to fully cooperate with these measures.
Additionally, the Viability Price (VP) mechanism has been introduced to safeguard farmers against market volatility. States must ensure the timely signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) to facilitate this benefit for farmers, the release added.
The Union Minister reiterated the importance of a united effort to achieve Atmanirbharta (self-reliance) in edible oil production.
A robust partnership between the central and state governments, implementing agencies, and farmers will be critical in realizing the mission's goals.
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