381/2024-2025

Aizawl, the 18th December 2024: Mizoram Governor Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati this morning interacted with a team from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research - Indian Institute of Oil Palm Research (ICAR-IIOPR), Pedavegi, West Godavari, Andhra Pradesh at the Raj Bhavan here in Aizawl. The meeting discussed the importance of enhancing oil palm production in Mizoram and also deliberated on the challenges faced by farmers and strategies for improving the management and cultivation of oil palm.

Governor Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati while highlighting the country's huge dependence on imports emphasized the need to become self-reliant in the production of edible oil, in this connection the government is taking several measures to address the issues, he added. He stressed that Mizoram, with its significant potential for increasing oil palm production, requires focused efforts and urged the ICAR experts to work closely with oil palm cultivators to address their challenges and needs effectively. He encouraged the ICAR officials to devise a proper plan to further development through the ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Mizoram Centre, Kolasib to maximize the state's potential in this sector. The Governor expressed optimism that Mizoram could become one of India's leading producers of palm oil. 

During the meeting, the ICAR-IIOPR team briefed the Governor on their ongoing efforts in Mizoram. They informed the Governor that Mizoram is currently the leading state in Northeast India in terms of oil palm cultivation, with a potential cultivation area of 60,000 to 70,000 hectares.

The ICAR-IIOPR Team comprised Dr. K. Manorama, Principal Scientist, Dr. G. Ravichandran, Principal Scientist, and Dr. G. Somasundaran, Senior Scientist.