India, the world’s largest importer and second largest consumer of oil palm, consumed around 13% of global production in 2021-22. The country launched the Mega Oil Palm Plantation Drive to raise awareness and increase cultivation areas, aiming to reduce import expenditure and increase awareness.
Solidaridad Network is a global organization that runs sustainable oil palm programs, focusing on small farmholders and developing India’s own standards for sustainable palm oil, IPOS. IPOS plans to establish a sustainability framework for India’s ambitious Oil Palm Mission, the National Mission on Edible Oil-Oil palm (NMEO-OP), aimed at promoting oil palm cultivation for Atmanirbhar. Dr. Suresh Motwani, Veg Oil Program Head – India, Solidaridad Network asserted, “Without touching any forest cover, around 9 lakh of potential area is available and suitable in the North East for oil palm plantation.”
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) – Indian Institute of Oil Palm Research (IIOPR) has found that oil palm plantations require less water for optimal production compared to crops like rice, banana, and sugarcane. Oil palms, being evergreen trees, can protect soil erosion and conserve moisture.
