Rao stressed the importance of crop diversification
Hyderabad: Agriculture minister Tummala Nageswara Rao said the state government was taking steps to position Telangana as the country’s oil palm hub. With Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s encouragement, the government was expanding cultivation statewide to provide farmers with stable income. Oil palm, he noted, offers continuous returns for 25 to 30 years once planted.
Rao, accompanied by transport minister Ponnam Prabhakar, Oil Fed chairman Janga Raghavareddy and senior officials, inspected the ultramodern oil palm processing factory built at Narmetta in Nangnoor mandal, Siddipet district, under the Telangana Oil Fed Corporation.
Completed in 18 months at a cost of ₹300 crore, the Narmetta facility will be inaugurated by the Chief Minister. Built with Malaysian technology, it is among the most modern in the country, capable of processing 30 to 120 tonnes of fruit bunches per hour.
The factory will produce crude palm oil and palm kernel oil, alongside a 4 MW bio power plant and a water purification centre operating on a zero liquid discharge policy. Waste from the production process will be used to generate electricity.
Rao stressed the importance of crop diversification. With Telangana now the country’s top paddy producer, he warned that central limits on grain procurement make it vital for farmers to adopt commercial crops such as horticulture, vegetables and palm oil. Oil palm, he said, is a reliable alternative for higher income.
Farmers can also intercrop cocoa, banana and macadamia in oil palm orchards, creating additional revenue streams. Unlike grain sales, palm oil payments are made quickly, while risks from wild boar, forest pigs and adverse weather are minimal. Subsidies of up to ₹50,921 are available, with free seedlings and government provided drip equipment. Oil palm is currently cultivated across about 2.91 lakh acres in Telangana. ENDS
