MARKET DEVELOPMENT
Fillip to Oil Palm Growers of Khammam
Fillip to Oil Palm Growers of Khammam
10/02/2015 (Hindu Business Line) - The long-felt need of the oil palm growers for a second oil palm processing unit in the district is all set to be realised with the State government mulling setting up of an oil palm factory in Dammapeta, a hub of oil palm cultivation in the entire Telangana State.
The move has gained prominence as the special programme on Oil Palm Area Expansion (OPAE) launched by the Central government in 2011-12 envisaged augmentation of production of palm oil. As per the plan, the production of the Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFBs) is expected to increase from 64,663 metric tonnes in 2014-15 to 1,32,741 metric tonnes in 2018-19 in Khammam district.
Khammam and Nalgonda districts are the only two districts in the new State of Telangana where oil palm is being cultivated on a large scale. The area under the oil palm cultivation in both the districts stands at 13,000 hectares. Oil palm is being grown on 12,182 hectares in Khammam district mainly spread in Dammapeta, Aswaraopet and Sattupalli mandals. The crop is being cultivated in little over 758 acres in Nalgonda district.
Sources in the Horticulture Department said that the proposed second oil palm processing unit of 30-tonnes per hour capacity will transform the district into an oil palm processing hub, give a fillip to expansion of the oil palm cultivation and boost farm income.
The existing oil palm processing unit at Aswaraopet was set up with five metric tonnes per hour crushing capacity to extract crude palm oil from the FFBs under the aegis of AP Oil Federation in 2007.
Its capacity was increased to 10 MTs per hour in 2008-09 and subsequently to 15 MTs per hour in 2013 in tune with the increased production of FFBs.
The oil palm development programme is being implemented in 50 mandals of two districts in Telangana State – Khammam (35 mandals) and Nalgonda (15 mandals), said K Suryanarayana, Assistant Director of Horticulture-II, Khamamm.
The identified mandals for oil palm cultivation have been allotted to the oil palm processing companies.
The National Mission on Oil Seeds & Oil Palm (NMOOP) launched by the Centre in 2014-15 is aimed at expansion of cultivation of oil palm, he said, adding that the subsidies, technical guidance and support were motivating the farmers to take up oil palm cultivation in the district.
There is scope for expansion of oil palm cultivation in 40,000 to 50,000 hectares in Khammam district, he asserted.
Second oil palm processing unit is essential to meet the growing need for prompt crushing of FFBs due to its perishable nature, help oil palm growers sustain their farm ventures and attract more farmers to take up oil palm cultivation, said Visweswara Rao, an oil palm grower of Dammapeta.
The move has gained prominence as the special programme on Oil Palm Area Expansion (OPAE) launched by the Central government in 2011-12 envisaged augmentation of production of palm oil. As per the plan, the production of the Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFBs) is expected to increase from 64,663 metric tonnes in 2014-15 to 1,32,741 metric tonnes in 2018-19 in Khammam district.
Khammam and Nalgonda districts are the only two districts in the new State of Telangana where oil palm is being cultivated on a large scale. The area under the oil palm cultivation in both the districts stands at 13,000 hectares. Oil palm is being grown on 12,182 hectares in Khammam district mainly spread in Dammapeta, Aswaraopet and Sattupalli mandals. The crop is being cultivated in little over 758 acres in Nalgonda district.
Sources in the Horticulture Department said that the proposed second oil palm processing unit of 30-tonnes per hour capacity will transform the district into an oil palm processing hub, give a fillip to expansion of the oil palm cultivation and boost farm income.
The existing oil palm processing unit at Aswaraopet was set up with five metric tonnes per hour crushing capacity to extract crude palm oil from the FFBs under the aegis of AP Oil Federation in 2007.
Its capacity was increased to 10 MTs per hour in 2008-09 and subsequently to 15 MTs per hour in 2013 in tune with the increased production of FFBs.
The oil palm development programme is being implemented in 50 mandals of two districts in Telangana State – Khammam (35 mandals) and Nalgonda (15 mandals), said K Suryanarayana, Assistant Director of Horticulture-II, Khamamm.
The identified mandals for oil palm cultivation have been allotted to the oil palm processing companies.
The National Mission on Oil Seeds & Oil Palm (NMOOP) launched by the Centre in 2014-15 is aimed at expansion of cultivation of oil palm, he said, adding that the subsidies, technical guidance and support were motivating the farmers to take up oil palm cultivation in the district.
There is scope for expansion of oil palm cultivation in 40,000 to 50,000 hectares in Khammam district, he asserted.
Second oil palm processing unit is essential to meet the growing need for prompt crushing of FFBs due to its perishable nature, help oil palm growers sustain their farm ventures and attract more farmers to take up oil palm cultivation, said Visweswara Rao, an oil palm grower of Dammapeta.