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Solidaridad Asia, in collaboration with the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India and the Asian Palm Oil Alliance, has mooted boosting domestic production and achieving up to 50 per cent self-sufficiency.
Solidaridad Asia, in collaboration with the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA) and the Asian Palm Oil Alliance (APOA), has released a research-backed white paper titled ‘Path to Palm Oil Self-Sufficiency in India’ providing a comprehensive strategy to reduce India’s heavy reliance on palm oil imports, boost domestic production, and achieve up to 50 per cent self-sufficiency by 2047.
To achieve the goal, the white paper has suggested a five-point action plan. The first point stressed the need to expand the coverage of the National Mission on Edible Oils - Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) while simultaneously strengthening irrigation infrastructure and providing targeted support for rain-fed regions, with a special focus on North-East India.
Highlighting the need to repurpose low-return lands, the white paper said approximately 16.08 million hectares (mh) of marginal rice-growing areas, identified as suitable for oil palm cultivation, can be utilised to enhance yields and overall returns.
Source: Online/OFA
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