Mizoram Governor emphasises enhanced oil palm production to establish state as key producer

Mizoram Governor Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati, on December 18 held discussions on enhanced oil palm production in the state, reiterating that Mizoram could become one of India's leading producers of palm oil. 

He interacted with a team from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research - Indian Institute of Oil Palm Research (ICAR-IIOPR), Pedavegi, West Godavari, Andhra Pradesh at the Raj Bhavan in Aizawl. 

The meeting also deliberated on the challenges faced by farmers and strategies for improving the management and cultivation of oil palm.

Governor Kambhampati highlighted the country's huge dependence on imports, emphasising the government's commitment to ensure that the state is becoming self-reliant in the production of edible oil. 

He stressed that Mizoram, with its significant potential for increasing oil palm production, requires focused efforts and urged the ICAR experts to work closely with oil palm cultivators to address their challenges and needs effectively. 

Further, the Mizoram governor encouraged the ICAR officials to devise a proper plan to further development through the ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Mizoram Centre, Kolasib to maximize the state's potential in this sector. 

During the meeting, the ICAR-IIOPR team briefed the Governor on their ongoing efforts in Mizoram, informing that the state is currently the leading state in Northeast India in terms of oil palm cultivation, with a potential cultivation area of 60,000 to 70,000 hectares.

The ICAR-IIOPR Team comprised Dr. K. Manorama, Principal Scientist, Dr. G. Ravichandran, Principal Scientist, and Dr. G. Somasundaran, Senior Scientist.