Edible Oil Yielding Plant
Godrej Agrovet’s Oil Palm Plantation business has launched a new superior high yielding Oil Palm sapling raised out of semi clonal seeds sourced from Malaysia. These saplings were distributed to the farmers under the Godrej Agrovet factory zone in the West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh.
Oil Palm is the most productive edible oil yielding plant in the world and plays a vital role in meeting the vegetable oil requirement of India. However, farmers are unable to maintain the return on investment levels of the past due to relatively low yields of existing saplings (Tenera Hybrids) compounded by environmental stress like low rainfall, drought, etc. The new variety will play a vital role in meeting the vegetable oil demand in India by overcoming these challenges.
Nasim Ali, CEO of Oil Palm Plantation, Godrej Agrovetsaid, “Agricultural issues created by environmental stress have been directly impacting the farmer’s earnings. Godrej Agrovet has been a frontrunner in serving the Indian farmers for three decades now and will continue to provide innovative solutions. We are expecting to bring around 160 to 170 hectares area under the new variety of the oil palm saplings during October and November 2020 in Andhra Pradesh.”
Dr R K Mathur, Director, ICAR- IIOPR (Indian Institute of Oil Palm Research),APsaid, “Oil Palm is a perennial crop and the returns from oil palm plantation is higher as compared to other oil seeds. The saplings of high yielding variety from Godrej Agrovet may improve the farmer’s income and thus contribute towards self-reliance in edible oil sector.”
The new variety of high yield oil palm saplings will eventually be available to Oil Palm farmers and growers pan India, with a special focus on Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Gujarat, Mizoram, and Goa.