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Pijush Hazarika, Assam’s Minister for Agriculture, Irrigation, and Parliamentary Affairs, has called for a concerted effort to expand oil palm cultivation across the state. Speaking at a dedicated stakeholder conference organized by the Department of Agriculture in Guwahati on October 26, the Minister addressed prevailing misconceptions, clarifying that oil palm requires no more water than traditional paddy cultivation, dismissing long-standing fears regarding its irrigation needs.
The Minister underscored the strategic economic importance of this shift, noting that expanding domestic production could save thousands of crores in edible oil import costs. These financial benefits, he noted, would flow directly to the local farming community. To facilitate this expansion, the State Cabinet has authorized the use of up to 5 per cent of unutilized land within existing tea gardens for oil palm crops.
With a goal of transforming Assam into a premier horticulture hub, the government estimates that farmers could secure a guaranteed income of approximately Rs 50,000 per bigha through oil palm cultivation. The five-year roadmap includes a specific target of 15,000 hectares for oil palm cultivation and bringing 30,000 hectares of agricultural land under irrigation.
The initiative also promotes crop diversification. On the remaining unused tea garden land, the government will encourage multi-crop systems, particularly prioritizing the Barak Valley region. Farmers will receive saplings for litchi, dragon fruit, and areca nut, with a massive distribution plan of 50 million horticultural saplings annually starting next year. To ensure the adoption of best practices, exposure visits to Andhra Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh will be organized for tea garden owners to gain practical cultivation knowledge.
Following the conference, Hazarika met with fertilizer suppliers to review distribution efficiency. He issued a stern warning against predatory practices, such as tying subsidized fertilizer sales to unnecessary products or passing additional transportation costs onto local retailers and farmers. 'Forcing farmers to purchase other unnecessary items when buying subsidised fertilisers will not be tolerated under any circumstances,' the Minister stated, adding that strict legal action would be taken against those creating artificial shortages. He reaffirmed the government's commitment to fostering a self-reliant, agriculture-driven state where the rights of farmers are never compromised.
Source: The News Mill