Growing Oil Palm at Home

How the 2021 National Mission on Edible Oils - Oil Palm aims to expand palm plantations in India's Northeast and south, and the environmental and economic debates.

Palm oil is the most imported edible oil in India. Can India grow more at home?

NMEO-OP

In August 2021, the government launched the National Mission on Edible Oils - Oil Palm, with around 11,040 crore rupees.

Target: expand oil palm area substantially, especially in the Northeast and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Viability price: guarantees farmers a minimum price for fresh fruit bunches, compensating when market prices fall.

Why oil palm

Oil palm produces much more oil per hectare than other oilseeds.
Could cut import dependence.

Concerns

Long gestation: palms take 3 to 4 years to start yielding.
Water needs: oil palm is thirsty.
Biodiversity: plantations could replace forests in the ecologically rich Northeast, as happened in Indonesia and Malaysia.
Tribal land and community concerns.

Existing areas

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana already grow oil palm on irrigated land.

Broader mission

In 2024, India launched the National Mission on Edible Oils - Oilseeds to boost mustard, soybean, groundnut and others.

The long wait

A farmer plants oil palm saplings with subsidies. For three years, he earns nothing from them, relying on intercrops, before harvests begin.

Thinking oil palm is a quick fix for imports

It takes years to yield and raises environmental concerns.

Key takeaways

NMEO-OP (2021) aims to expand oil palm, especially in the Northeast.
Oil palm yields much more oil per hectare.
Long gestation, water and biodiversity are concerns.
A 2024 mission targets other oilseeds too.