Palm oil, a polarizing subject in global media, has taken center stage in India as the government launched the Centrally Sponsored Scheme, known as the National Mission on Edible Oil (NMEO)-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP). It aims to cultivate oil palms for edible oil, fostering self-sufficiency with a special focus on the Northeastern States and Andaman & Nicobar Islands, with a cost-sharing arrangement of 90:10 between the central and NE state governments.
Private firms, including Godrej Agrovet, 3F Oil Palm, Kanpur Edible, and Patanjali have quickly capitalized on the potential of the Northeast.
Meanwhile, Nagaland has embraced the initiative, inaugurating a mega palm oil plantation drive in August 2023. The state is strategically divided into two zones, with Zone 1 encompassing Chumoukedima, Wokha, Dimapur, and Niuland, and Zone-II covering Mokokchung, Longleng, and Mon districts.
In Mokokchung, according to Deputy DAO Mokokchung, Maongsangla, the plantation drive is being undertaken in Tuli and Mangkolemba blocks of the district.
Toshi, SDAO Tuli informed this newspaper that 32 farmers are actively participating in Tuli, with additional seven beneficiaries expected to join in November or December. The status of SDAO Mangkolemba could not be ascertained as of the time of filing this report.
Why India launched NMEO-OP
The move for NMEO-OP comes as India grapples with a massive edible oil import bill of Rs 138,000 crore between October 2022 and October 2023, making it the world’s largest buyer of palm oil from Indonesia and Malaysia. To curtail dependency on other nations, India aims to expand its oil palm cultivation from 350,000 hectares in 2019 to 1 million hectares by 2026, investing Rs 11,040 crore ($1.5 billion) over the next five years. Over half of this expansion will take place in northeastern states.
Researchers have been working with the government to identify the most suitable ecosystems for such a long-term undertaking. According to MV Prasad, principal scientist for the palm oil branch of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the institute, which operates under the government of India, has identified nearly 2.8 million hectares of suitable land in 18 states.
The northeast of the country is seen as particularly promising. “The plan looks at water requirements for irrigation, rainfall, temperature and relative humidity, also keeping in mind that palm oil production should not disturb forest cover nor local flora and fauna.” Only areas with adequate humidity and water availability have been earmarked for expansion, Prasad told reporters.
What is the controversy around NME-OP?
The ambitious plan has stirred controversy, echoing environmental concerns raised globally about oil palm cultivation. Critics, including experts and environmentalists, fear a replication of the ecological toll seen in Indonesia and Malaysia, where deforestation and biodiversity loss were exacerbated by oil palm plantations.
The Northeast, home to global biodiversity hotspots like the Eastern Himalayas and the Indo-Myanmar region, faces potential threats to its diverse flora and fauna. Down to Earth reports underscore the dangers of monoculture plantation projects in regions rich in biodiversity, like Assam, with UNESCO World Heritage Sites like Manas and Kaziranga National Park.
An article in Frontline magazine reveals the disastrous impact of oil palm plantations in Mizoram since 2004, leading to soil fertility deterioration and water scarcity. The controversial shift in land tenure has reportedly left farmers impoverished, with companies showing little accountability.
Additionally, the recent amendments to the Forest (Conservation) Act have raised eyebrows, as critics argue they could pave the way for extensive forest clearing for oil palm plantations, potentially contradicting India’s international commitments on environmental sustainability.
However, ICAR’s MV Prasad views that while oil palm requires more water than other edible oils such as groundnut, sunflower or sesame, it also produces around five times more per hectare. According to Prasad, oil palms could also require less water than other crops they replace, but crop water requirements can vary a lot in India and if rain continues to decline, impacts on agriculture and other human activities would be felt regardless.
Way forward
A study by Umesh Srinivasan et al., from the Centre for Ecological Sciences at the Indian Institute of Science, published in Nature in June 2021, outlines a strategy for expanding palm oil cultivation in India while preserving biodiversity. The research emphasizes the necessity of meticulous land-use planning to mitigate the impact on biodiversity-rich areas.
As the Indian government pushes for rapid palm oil expansion to meet growing consumption, the study reveals strain on biodiversity-rich regions. Researchers project 7.86 to 73.26 million hectares suitable for palm oil production due to anticipated temperature increases and augmented irrigation. However, 45-60% of these areas hold high ecological value, leading Srinivasan’s team to propose converting rice fields producing less than two tons per hectare to palm oil.
“We do not advocate revamping all these marginal rice fields, rather emphasize exploring spatial options on finer scales that maintain the integrity of natural landscapes and do not compromise national food security,” Srinivasan told Mongabay-India.
He pointed out that “in terms of land-sparing, oil palm is a fantastic species as its yield is several-fold higher when compared to any other oil plant”. According to research, palm oil is the most land-use efficient oil plant producing about 3-4 tonnes per hectare, whereas other oil crops yield less than one tonne per hectare of land.
Despite benefits, concerns arise regarding artificial irrigation, particularly in semi-arid peninsular India. Palm oil requires twice the water of marginal rice plantations, raising worries about groundwater depletion during dry seasons.
As debate over palm oil expansion continues, the SDAO of Tuli expressed his personal view that there will be “no harm” if oil palm is tried for a few years. The SDAO from Tuli explains that the Agri department is aware of the basic anatomy and morphology of the oil palm, and therefore, when compared with other plants, it is almost the same.
“There is nothing like oil palm consumes lots of water or there are toxic chemicals. In a logical way, it is a normal plant that can provide great livelihood. Additionally, it is not like we have limited land. Our topography is such that we have 75% forest cover,” added the SDAO from Tuli.
The SDAO also clarified that the department acts as an implementing agency, while the execution of work is carried out by companies such as Godrej and Patanjali.
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