BHUBANESWAR: The state government on Thursday signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) with three companies to increase the cover of oil palm plantation to boost production of edible oil and income of farmers.
The agreements signed under the National Mission on Edible Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMEOOP) will see expansion of oil palm cultivation in four districts of Angul, Dhenkanal, Jajpur and Cuttack. The MoU partnering companies are Patanjali Foods Limited (Cuttack), Tummala Agro Products Private Limited (Angul), and Livpalm Resources Private Limited (Dhenkanal and Jajpur).
Welcoming the companies, deputy chief minister and Agriculture minister KV Singh Deo expressed optimism that the collaboration will boost production of edible oil in the state. Oil palm cultivation on a commercial scale will ensure better market prices for farmers, create rural employment opportunities and ultimately improve the socio-economic condition of farming communities, he said.
Company representatives affirmed their commitment to leveraging modern technologies and innovations to tap the immense potential of the state in the oil palm sector. The state has achieved oil palm cultivation over 1,042 hectare in the last two financial years as against the target of 2,600 hectare.