Target to Expand Oil Palm Cultivation to 50,000 Acres in Siddipet District

Farmers to Reap Substantial Returns After Four Years of Cultivation

₹10 Lakh Incentive for Villages Bringing Over 100 Acres Under Oil Palm Cultivation: Minister Dr G. Vivek Venkatswamy

SIDDIPET, July 10: The Telangana Government has set an ambitious target of expanding oil palm cultivation to 50,000 acres in Siddipet district to promote sustainable, high-income agriculture, said Dr G. Vivek Venkatswamy, Minister for Labour, Employment, Training & Factories and Mines & Geology, and District In-charge Minister. He noted that oil palm is currently cultivated on 14,000 acres in the district and urged farmers to diversify towards more remunerative crops.

Dr Vivek Venkatswamy, along with Transport and BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, participated in the Mega Oil Palm Plantation Programme held at Janagama village in Akkannapet mandal of Husnabad Assembly constituency on Friday. The Ministers inaugurated the programme by planting oil palm saplings.

Addressing the gathering, Dr Vivek Venkatswamy said the expansion of oil palm cultivation has become essential in view of the growing domestic demand for edible oils. He observed that international developments have contributed to rising edible oil prices and stressed the need to reduce India’s dependence on imports by increasing domestic production.

The Minister said that while oil palm requires patience during the initial years, it offers substantial and sustained returns in the long term. Farmers cultivating oil palm would receive government subsidies and support under the Rythu Bharosa scheme during the first four years, he said. He also pointed out that oil palm requires comparatively less water than paddy and that the presence of an oil palm processing factory near Husnabad provides an additional advantage to farmers in the region.

Referring to paddy procurement, Dr Vivek Venkatswamy said the State Government had procured 25 per cent more paddy last year despite the Kaleshwaram Project not being fully operational. He noted that warehouses are currently stocked with paddy, while restrictions on rice exports and the Food Corporation of India’s limited procurement have made it increasingly important for farmers to adopt alternative high-value crops.

The Minister added that farmers in Chennur were also showing growing interest in oil palm cultivation. He appealed to public representatives and Agriculture Department officials to undertake extensive awareness campaigns across villages to educate farmers about the long-term benefits of the crop.

To encourage large-scale adoption, Minister Ponnam Prabhakar announced an incentive of ₹5 lakh for any village bringing more than 100 acres under oil palm cultivation. Responding immediately, Dr Vivek Venkatswamy announced an additional ₹5 lakh from his side as the District In-charge Minister, taking the total incentive to ₹10 lakh for every village achieving the 100-acre milestone.

On the occasion, the Ministers felicitated Sampath, a farmer who has successfully taken up oil palm cultivation, appreciating his efforts in promoting the crop.

The programme was attended by Munnuru Kapu Corporation Chairman Bomma Sriram Chakravarthy, Joint Collector Lakshmi Kiran, Market Committee Chairman Tirupati Reddy, PACS Chairman Shivayya, public representatives, government officials, and a large number of farmers.