Telangana Eyes Oil Palm Hub: Telangana Targets Major Growth as National Oil Palm Hub

Telangana Eyes Oil Palm Hub: The Telangana government has unveiled an ambitious roadmap to transform the state into one of the leading oil palm production centres in the country. State Agriculture Minister Thummala Nageswara Rao said the government is focusing on large scale expansion of oil palm cultivation to strengthen the agricultural economy and improve farmer incomes.

During his visit to New Delhi on Tuesday, the minister outlined plans to increase oil palm cultivation across nearly ten lakh acres in Telangana. He noted that oil palm offers better income potential compared to several traditional crops and could play a major role in enhancing the financial stability of farmers in the coming years.

To support the expansion drive, the state government intends to provide farmers with quality planting material, technical guidance, and various subsidies. Officials believe that encouraging modern cultivation practices and improving access to resources will help farmers adopt the crop on a wider scale.

The minister also raised several key concerns with the Central Government regarding the welfare of domestic oil palm growers. He urged the Centre to increase the import duty on crude palm oil to 44 percent, stating that stronger protection measures would help local farmers secure better prices and reduce the impact of fluctuations in international markets.

Apart from oil palm cultivation, discussions were also held on the supply of urea fertilisers to Telangana. Thummala requested the Central Government to ensure timely allocation and delivery of urea as per the approved quota so that farmers do not face shortages during critical agricultural seasons.

The state government remains confident that with policy support, improved infrastructure, and farmer participation, Telangana can emerge as a major Oil Palm Hub while contributing significantly to domestic edible oil production and rural economic growth.