Seeds worth Rs 200 to be distributed for Rs 25 : Reports
WARANGAL: The state government will set up more oil palm factories across Telangana, and the one planned in Mulugu will significantly boost the region’s agricultural economy, said agriculture minister Tummala Nageshwara Rao.
Accompanied by panchayat raj minister Seethakka, Bhadrachalam MLA Tellam Venkat Rao, and Oil Seeds Corporation chairman Janga Raghava Reddy, the minister laid the foundation stone for a new oil palm factory at Incherla village in Mulugu district on Monday.
Speaking at a meeting organised on the occasion, Nageshwara Rao said the factory, being built by K.N. Biosciences Company on 12 acres, marks a major step toward strengthening the income of local farmers.
He noted that Mulugu district has already developed greatly as a tourist destination. With abundant water available for irrigation, it has become an ideal location for farming. The district, once home to Sammakka and Saralamma and the Kakatiya kings, has seen enormous progress through the efforts of panchayat raj minister Seethakka. The government, he said, is ready to support all forms of development in the district.
The minister urged farmers to dedicate a portion of their land to oil palm cultivation, noting that it would bring prosperity within three years. He directed agriculture department officials to conduct awareness programmes encouraging farmers to plant oil palm on at least 10,000 acres.
He also announced that the government is working to increase the price of oil palm fruit from ₹18,052 per tonne to ₹25,000 to ensure farmers receive a fair price. He promised that the new factory would be completed and inaugurated by the next Ugadi festival.
Minister Seethakka, speaking on the occasion, said oil palm cultivation requires less effort and yields higher profits for farmers. Many who previously grew rice and cotton are now showing interest in oil palm, which she described as a positive trend.
She added that the crop would not only keep the surroundings green but also provide farmers with an annual income of ₹1 lakh. The state government, she said, is supporting farmers by supplying oil palm seedlings at just ₹25 each, compared to the original cost of ₹200.
Seethakka also stated that the government is working to create jobs for unemployed youth while simultaneously developing the agricultural sector. It has provided interest-free loans for women’s empowerment and is making efforts to set up an IT company in the district headquarters.
