'Oil Palm Development Scheme' to be extended to 6 more dists

Chennai, Feb 29 (UNI) The Tamil Nadu Government today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with various companies to extend its 'Oil Palm Development Scheme' to 12 districts from the present six.

An official release here said the scheme would be implemented in collaboration with Cauvery Palm Oil Limited in Cuddalore and Villupuram districts, Vaidehi Properties in Vellore district, Ruchi Soya industries in Theni, Godrej Agrovet in Tirunelveli and Food, Fats and Fertilisers in Thoothukudi.

These entrepreneurs would execute a bipartite agreement with the palm growers and develop palm clusters on not less than 100 hectares.

They would also establish an oil palm extraction mill with a capacity to crush 2.5 tonnes per hour, within three years.

The state government had requested the farmers to approach the 'block agricultural extension centres' in the respective districts to get technical guidance for palm growing and the details of subsidy and other benefits available under the scheme.

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