About Oil Palm

Oil Palm resembles our local ‘Khejury’ plant belonging to the family Palmae with major two cultivated species of Elaeis gunensis and E. oleifera. However, a hybrid variety ‘Tenera’ is under cultivation worldwide for its dwarf characteristics as well as higher productivity. The economic bearing span of Oil palm is 25-30 years after which these are replaced with new plants. Fifty percent of palm oil of the country is imported from Indonesia and Malaysia.
The diverse agro-ecological conditions in the state are favourable for growing many edible oil seed. With the per capita consumption of vegetable oils at the rate of 16 kg/year/person, the total vegetable oil demand is likely to increase year by years for increased population growth. The traditional oil seeds crops have their limitations in increasing further areas due to multiple and diversified cropping being practiced by the farmers in limited crop land and therefore. Oil palm has the potential to establish well which require high land. The scheme has been started as pilot project covering foot hill areas, fallow land and waste land of Kamrup® & Goalpara districts while Bongaigaon district will come under the scheme after saturation of aea in the two districts.
Oil palm cultivation with a wider spacing of 9.0 meter has an another added advantage to incorporate intercropping of different crops like Ginger, Turmeric, Brinjal, Chili, Tomato, Flowers, Assam lemon, ‘Jahaji’ Banana, etc. as per farmer’s choice. There is provision of financial assistance for this purpose under the scheme.