Shivraj Singh urges states to prioritise oil palm plantation under NMEO-OP

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday urged state governments to prioritise oil palm plantation targets under the NMEO-OP scheme by addressing bottlenecks and mobilizing available resources.

The National Mission on Edible Oils - Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) was launched in August 2021, with the primary objective of enhancing domestic production of palm oil and reducing reliance on imports. The mission aims to bring 6.5 lakh hectares under oil palm plantations by 2025-26.

"While significant progress has been made in certain regions, others need to accelerate their efforts," Chouhan said in a statement.

The under utilization of allocated funds and delays in achieving plantation targets underscore the urgency for a more focused and coordinated approach, he said.

Chouhan emphasized the need for states to prioritize achieving their plantation targets by addressing bottlenecks and mobilizing available resources.

With substantial unspent funds under NMEO-OP, the minister urged states to enhance resource utilization for infrastructure development, farmer support, and plantation expansion.

He said states must also intensify farmer engagement, tackle challenges such as misinformation, and expedite the disbursal of assistance to ensure farmer satisfaction and sustained participation.

To improve transparency and efficiency, the government has introduced initiatives such as digital monitoring through geo-mapping and drone surveillance.

The minister urged states to fully cooperate with these measures. Additionally, the Viability Price (VP) mechanism has been introduced to safeguard farmers against market volatility.

"States must ensure the timely signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) to facilitate this benefit for farmers," he added.

The union minister reiterated the importance of a united effort to achieve self-reliance in edible oil production.

A robust partnership between the central and state governments, implementing agencies, and farmers will be critical in realizing the mission's goals, he added.

Under the NMEO-OP, special emphasis is being placed on leveraging the agro-climatic potential of the North-eastern region and other oil palm-growing states.