Arunachal: Foundation stone laid for Palm Oil Integrated facility at Lower Dibang Valley

In an effort to usher in a new paradigm for the oil palm farmers of Arunachal Pradesh, the foundation stone laying ceremony (Bhumipujan) of the proposed 2nd Oil Palm Extraction Unit in the state at Roing was held on October 10.

The proposed Oil Palm Extraction Unit will be set up in Roing at a cost of Rs 300 crore investment. 

The Bhumipujan was conducted in the presence of Gabriel D. Wanshu, MLA, Mutchu Mithi MLA Roing, Gum Tayeng, MLA Dambuk, Sanjay Goenka, CEO, 3F Company and officials.

Minister of Agriculture and Horticulture Tage Taki performed the Bhumi Puja for 3F Oil Palm’s integrated Oil Palm Processing unit at Roing. 

Tage Taki thanked the central and state government for their encouragement and support, and advised the farmers and the company to work hand in hand to improve the prospects of the farmers and take the place forward. 

"You are dependent on each other so you have to clear all the doubts, believe in each other, and help one another to make the venture a success," the Minister added.

Gabriel D. Wangsu, advisor cum MLA in the region, urged all the farmers to comprehend, absorb, and share their knowledge of the advantages of oil palm farming in the area with other farmers. He added that the government has supported oil palm growing in the area and has encouraged the construction of processing units after careful assessment of the various socioeconomic and environmental factors. So, he advised, "start cultivating oil palms with faith that it will be fruitful."

The initiative is in line with the Prime Minister’s vision of Aatmanirbharta in Edible Oils via the newly announced National Mission on Edible Oils - Oil Palm (NMEO-OP)

The 3F Oil Palm Pvt. Ltd is a leading oil palm company in India, that kicked off its investment in the northeast with the bhumi puja for an integrated Oil Palm factory in Arunachal Pradesh. 

The company had already acquired 120 acres of land for the project in February. All necessary approvals and statutory clearances pertaining to the land were also obtained. 

The integrated Oil palm project will consist of a State-of-the-art Oil palm factory (Palm Oil Processing and Refining plant), a Zero discharge effluent plant, a power plant based on palm waste, and other buildings and godowns for support functions. This addition of this factory will supplement the existing company operations that include Nursery Operations, Area Expansion/ Crop Maintenance, FFB Harvesting and Collection, and other ancillary farmer services. 

The factory is set to be developed in 2 phases and phase 1 is expected to be commissioned by September 2023. Phase 1 of the project is expected to generate local employment of over 300 people. 

3F Oil Palm Pvt Ltd is a front runner and pioneer in the Oil Palm Development program in Arunachal Pradesh with a total Oil Palm Area underplanting of around 2,000 hectares that is spread across a farmer base of 500 Farmers. 

All the area under Oil Palm is linked to satellite technology with 100% traceability. The company is the first in the state to import high-quality hybrid variety imported seedlings from various countries, for the benefit of the farmer. 

The company is also the first to be allotted a fertilizer distribution license for a timely and cost-effective supply of fertilizers to the farmers. Both of these initiatives are expected to significantly increase farmer yields and promote ease of planting. With all of these firsts and the additional traction created by the Oil Palm Factory, the company is expected to add 5000 Ha per year over the next 5 years.

Speaking on the occasion, Sanjay Goenka, CEO, and MD, of 3F Oil Palm Limited, said, “We are very delighted and excited about our upcoming integrated Oil Palm factory in Arunachal Pradesh. Since the plantations are at a nascent stage, our factory will be running at extremely low capacity utilization. 

The primary reason for expediting this investment is to build farmer confidence so that they are encouraged to take up Oil Palm cultivation at a large scale. Due to the proactive leadership of the Government of Arunachal Pradesh and the newly formulated NMEO (OP) policy, we believe that the state can be at the forefront of the Honorable Prime Minister’s vision of Aatmanirbharta in Edible Oils.”

3F Oil Palm has a strong presence with factories and contract plantations in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, and Gujarat and has a very strong growth plan for the Northeastern region, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
  
Secretary(Agriculture, GoAP) Bidol Tayeng advocated the advantages of oil palm cultivation in the state.

Also present during the occasion were MLA Gum Tayeng, MLA Mutchu Mithi, ZPC Tony Borang, Director(Agriculture) Anong Lego, DC Soumya Saurabh, and SP J. K. Lego. The day also witnessed the unveiling of a mobile app to monitor oil palm cultivation, distribution of fertilizers to farmers by MLAs Gum Tayeng and Mutchu Mithi, plantation of oil palm by dignitaries, and felicitation of progressive farmers.

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