Hyderabad: Telangana Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao urged southern states to unite in support of oil palm farmers. He appealed to the Agriculture Ministers of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh to jointly press the Central government for measures to protect growers.
The minister wrote to his counterparts in the four states. In the letters, he proposed a joint meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek policy support for the sector.
Oil palm farmers seek price protection
Tummala called for the restoration of the 44% import duty on crude palm oil. Alternatively, he sought a Minimum Guaranteed Price of ₹25,000 per metric tonne for Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFBs).
He said reduced import duties and falling market prices had caused heavy losses to oil palm farmers. Therefore, he stressed the need for immediate intervention to protect growers’ incomes.
The minister said the southern states account for nearly 75% of India’s oil palm cultivation. Accordingly, he urged the states to make a united representation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He said coordinated action would safeguard farmers’ incomes. Moreover, it would support India’s mission to achieve self-sufficiency in edible oil production.