Mizo Farmers Reap Benefit From Oil Palm Cultivation

Aizawl, Jan 25 : The Government of Mizoram is increasingly promoting oil palm cultivation in the state with multiple aim of generating jobs, benefiting farmers and attracting edible oil makers.

It has earmarked 1,33,000 hectares of land in Mizoram for oil palm cultivation as the region's climatic and geographical conditions are suitable for its growth.

Farmers can harvest oil palm seeds 3-4 times a year and a bunch of oil palms weigh nearly 30-35 kg. They sell the seeds to private organizations at a cost of Rs 4.75 per Kg from which edible oil is produced.

Over 3000 families are engaged in oil palm cultivation across Mizoram of which nearly 850 are in Kolasib district.

"Oil palm, sugar, vegetables, these are the main crops. We are giving our best advice to the cultivators by providing them field school lessons, giving field visits and other things so that the production can be increased," said K Zirliana, District Agricultural Officer, Kolasib.

R. Thansiama, a farmer, who have taken up oil palm cultivation, recently received Rs 45,000 monetary support from the state government under the New Land Use Policy Scheme to expand his farm.

He started planting palms in 2002 and owns over 1000 of these in his seven-hectare large farm.
"In the first year, I planted 300 trees, in the second year, I planted 500 trees and as of today I have more than 1000 trees in my farm," Thansiama, said.