Arunachal: Namsai MLA urges farmers to adopt oil palm, turmeric

Our correspondent

Itanagar: Namsai lawmaker Chau Zingnu Namchoom on Thursday urged farmers to take advantage of the National Mission on Edible Oils–Oil Palm (NMEO-OP), saying oil palm and turmeric have been identified as the most suitable crops for the district’s fertile soil based on satellite mapping.

Speaking at a mega oil palm plantation programme organised at Wood Town Resort at Chowkham in Namsai district, Namchoom said India remains heavily dependent on edible oil imports and stressed that farmers in Namsai should adopt oil palm cultivation to help achieve self-sufficiency.

“I will take up the issue of timely release of farmer incentives to the competent authority,” he assured.

The programme was organised by the district agriculture department in collaboration with Patanjali Foods Ltd and attended by farmers, officials and dignitaries.

Namsai in-charge deputy commissioner Nang Koliani Namchoom, also spoke on the objectives of NMEO-OP and assured farmers that their grievances would be addressed promptly.

Deputy general manager of Patanjali Foods Ltd, Tapas Kumar Tripathi explained that Arunachal Pradesh alone requires 18,000 metric tonnes of edible oil annually, even as per capita consumption remains lower than the national average.

He said oil palm, with its high yield and efficiency, offers farmers a profitable alternative.

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