HYDERABAD: The State government is taking measures to promote oil palm cultivation in a big way in the State and it has already identified potential areas for oil palm cultivation in 2.78 lakh hectares in about 249 mandals spread over 23 districts, Minister for Agriculture S Niranjan Reddy informed the Assembly on Thursday.
The Central government, as a pilot project, permitted the State to take up 18,100 hectares of oil palm cultivation area expansion in Adilabad, Mahbubnagar, Mahabubabad and other districts for 2020-21 and 2021-22, he added.
India is importing about Rs 40,000 crore worth of palm oil and Rs 30,000 crore worth of other oils. The State has initiated the process of creating mass awareness among farmers on oil palm cultivation, and is extending Rs 20,000 subsidy per acre for all the farmers who take up oil palm cultivation, he said.