State urges Centre not to hike import duty on oilpalm seedlings
The Hindu
‘Increase in duty to rise cost of seedling from ₹99 to ₹250’
The State government had requested the Centre not to burden farmers willing to take up oilpalm plantation due to increase in the import duty on oilpalm nursery (seedlings) so that the plantation crop could be taken up on a large scale and help the country achieve self-reliance in edible oil production. In a letter addressed to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister for Agriculture S. Niranjan Reddy stated on Tuesday that lands in Telangana are suitable for oilpalm cultivation and increasing irrigation facility and 24×7 free power to agriculture would make the plantation raising more feasible. As part of encouraging cropping pattern change and go for alternative long-duration and plantation crops, the State government had decided to promote oilpalm farming in about 20 lakh acres, including 3 lakh acres during the next two years. Stating that there are no oilpalm nurseries in the country to meet the demand, the Minister said the seedlings had to be imported from countries like Malaysia, Thailand and Costa Rica. The requirement of seedlings for the 8 lakh oilplam plantation raising plans already made is 14.4 crore, including the requirement of 2.16 crore seedlings next year.
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