Tripura achieves 4,000 ha in oil palm cultivation, one more processing unit soon

Tripura has brought nearly 4,000 hectares of land under oil palm cultivation, making significant progress toward its 2025–26 target of 7,000 hectares, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath announced on Monday.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Mega Oil Palm Plantation Drive at Taltala, the Minister emphasized the national priority of achieving self-sufficiency in edible oil production. “India is self-sufficient in fish, rice, and other produce, but not in edible oil. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has highlighted the need to reduce dependence on imports by boosting domestic production, especially in the North Eastern and Southern regions, which are suitable for oil palm cultivation,” said Nath.

He assured farmers of strong market potential and government support. “The price of palm oil is stable and only expected to rise. Farmers need not worry about selling their produce,” he added.

Unlike rubber plantations, where intercropping is not feasible, oil palm plantations allow the cultivation of other crops in between the rows. “From clearing the land to providing saplings—everything will be facilitated by the government,” the Minister said.

He explained that palm oil is used in two forms—palm oil for cooking and palm kernel oil for industrial use. Its applications span cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, biofuels, and lubricants.

Tracing the crop's journey in the state, Nath said that in 2012, the DAC Committee of the Government of India had identified 7,000 hectares in Tripura as suitable for oil palm cultivation. A 2020 re-evaluation by the ICAR-IIOPR using digital mapping expanded the estimate to over 1.46 lakh hectares of potential cultivable area.

Under the National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm (NMEO-OP), Tripura signed MoUs with two major processors: Godrej Agrovet Ltd. (on August 1, 2022), and Patanjali Foods Pvt. Ltd. (on August 10, 2022). Godrej Agrovet has been allotted Unakoti, North, and Dhalai districts, while Khowai, West, Sepahijala, Gomati, and South districts have been allotted to Patanjali Foods.

Godrej Agrovet laid the foundation stone for a palm oil processing unit at Nalkata in Dhalai district on August 10, 2024. It also plans to establish an international-standard Oil Palm Research and Solutions Centre at the same location, in collaboration with SD Guthrie International Company of Malaysia.

Meanwhile, Patanjali Foods Pvt. Ltd. is preparing to set up its own palm oil processing unit at Gurupada Bagan, near Khumulwng.

“The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has set a target of covering 7,000 hectares in Tripura under oil palm cultivation by FY 2025–26. The Horticulture and Soil Conservation wings of the State Agriculture Department are working rigorously to meet this goal,” the Minister said.