Mizoram to export palm oil by 2010

Aizawl, Sep 25 (UNI) Mizoram government has chalked out a blue-print to cultivate large number of oil palm trees across the state in collaboration with different MNC's to export palm oil by 2010.

Mizoram would be the first in the entire NE to implement the 750 crore project under Mizoram Intodelhna (self-sufficient) Programme (MIP).

Godrej Agvovet Limited, Foods Fats and Fertilizers Ltd and Palmtech India would be investing Rs 250 crore each to start their work to develop oil palm trees on an area of 100,000 hectares here along with Kolasib, Mamit, Serchhip and Lunglei districts of the state.

''State government has already prepared a comperhensive five-year plan for the project by 2010,'' agriculture minister H Rammawi told UNI.

''The detail survey by the MNC's clearly indicated that the climatic condition of the state is best suited for the cultivation,'' he said.

''We have already signed a 250 crore contract with Godrej company and another five year contract will be signed with Hyderabad-based company called Foods Fats and Fertilizers by next month,'' he added.

The agreement includes procuring of oil palm planting materials, raising nurseries, supply of seedlings and provision of agronomic assistance to the palm farmers and processing of oil-palm crop, he said.

Besides, Mr Rammawi also met Palmtech India senior officials to ink the third deal to cultivate oil palm plants.

State agriculture assistant director P Battacharaya said over 5000 farmers across the state would be benefited by the project.

He claimed, ''within seven years, a farmer is expected to earn a minimum of Rs 5 lakh per annum provided he utilises his two-hectares of land to plant 150 trees for the oil palm cultivation.'' The department have also witnessed that a bunch of the oil palm fresh fruit could weigh about 17 kgs, he claimed.

Mr Battacharaya said ''this oil palm scheme will not only benefit the farmers but also hundreds of unemployed youths across the state.'' Godrej had recruited more than 20 agriculture graduates in their company for this project with a monthly salary of Rs 10,000-15,000 initially, sources said.

These companies would also help the farmers to avail loan from the commercial and co-operative banks for the cultivation.

Besides, Mr Bhattacharya said the primary objective of this huge project is to control shifting Jhum (slash/burn) cultivation as well as to cultivate alternative crops during the bamboo flowering.

Meanwhile, the state government has also chalked out various programmes to identify another one lakh hectares of land for the red oil palm cultivation to be soon tendered among several other global companies.

UNI SNR PP AKP1211