Mizoram has high potential for oil palm production

Aizawl, Sep 26 (UNI) Mizoram Agriculture Principal Secretary L Tochhawng today said the state has high potential for oil palm cultivation.

Inaugurating a one-day state level training on oil palm production technology here, Ms Tochhawng said oil palm cultivation was introduced in Mizoram during the 2004-2005 season under the initiative and advocacy of state Agriculture Minister H Rammawi.

She further stated that a high level Mizoram oil palm advisory committee was formed to monitor extension of the growing area and its production with district zonal level committee to look into all marketing problems.

Oil palm has been introduced in four districts - Kolasib, Mamit, Lunglei and Serchhip - covering 4,214 hectares of land. Plans are on to cover 19,881 more hectares during the 11th Plan.

Three experts from national research centre on oil palm, Dr M V Prasad, Dr V M Reddy and Dr P Kalidas, gave power point presentations on the cultivation of oil palm in Mizoram during two technical sessions.

Horticulturists here claimed that Mizoram has the suitable climatic and soil conditions for oil palm and therefore has the potential to become the ''Malaysia in India.'' UNI ZS DPM MP AS1731