Tripura targets 6,000 hectares under oil palm cultivation in 2026-27

The Tripura government has set a target of bringing 6,000 hectares under oil palm cultivation in the current financial year to boost production and improve farmers' incomes, a senior official said on October 19.

Of the targeted area, 4,700 hectares have already been brought under oil palm cultivation, while the remaining 1,300 hectares are expected to be covered by March 2027, Director of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Horticulture departments P.B. Jamatia told PTI.

The state currently has more than 10,000 oil palm growers, he said, adding that the government was raising awareness about the crop, particularly among people living in hilly areas, where it could offer better economic returns.

The state government is providing oil palm saplings free of cost through nurseries operated by private entities. The Centre is also extending financial assistance to growers for four years to encourage farmers to take up the cultivation, Jamatia said.

Explaining the potential benefits, he said farmers could grow other crops alongside oil palm, unlike in rubber plantations, allowing them to generate additional income.

An oil palm plant takes around four years to mature and can remain productive for up to 30 years, he said, adding that the Centre had announced an assured price for oil palm seeds to provide growers with reasonable returns.

Jamatia said Tripura's agro-climatic conditions were suitable for oil palm cultivation. The department plans to expand the area under the crop to 10,000 hectares in the next financial year, 2027-28.

The state government has also initiated steps to establish oil palm processing factories at Nalkata in North Tripura district and Belbari in West Tripura district.

Both facilities are expected to become operational by the end of December 2027, Jamatia said, adding that local processing infrastructure would benefit growers once the factories begin operations.