Godrej Agrovet to set up an Oil Palm Processing Mill in Tripura ~ To set up R&D center, which will develop seeds suitable for local climatic conditions

Godrej Agrovet to set up an Oil Palm Processing Mill in Tripura ~ To set up R&D center, which will develop seeds suitable for local climatic conditions
~ To open one-stop solution centre, Samadhan, to provide comprehensive support to oil palm farmers

Dhalai, Tripura, Aug 10, 2024 (GNI) Godrej Agrovet Limited (GAVL) today announced that its Oil Palm Plantation business (OPP) will be setting up an Oil Palm Processing Milling in Tripura. To be set up in Dhalai district of the state, where the company currently operates a nursery with a capacity of 3 Lacs per year and plans to increase it to 5 Lacs per year, the company will also be setting up an advanced Research & Development center for Oil Palm in the vicinity in addition to opening up of Samadhan centre, a one-stop solution centre providing comprehensive support to oil palm farmers.
Inaugurated by Ratan Lal Nath, Hon’ble Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Govt. of Tripura, also present on the occasion of ground breaking ceremony of the mill and R&D Centre was Dr Harikrishna Kulaveerasingam, Head of Research & Development, SD Guthrie Plantations, Malaysia. With an experience of more than two decades in studying and decoding the oil palm genome, he would guiding company to locally develop high yield sustainable oil palm.
Following the introduction of the National Mission on Edible Oil – Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) in August 2021, Govt. of Tripura has embarked on a plan to bring at least 7,000 hectares of land under palm cultivation. Commenting on this occasion, Ratan Lal Nath, Hon’ble Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Govt. of Tripura said, “Playing a critical role in the success of National Mission on Edible Oil – Oil Palm (NMEO-OP), the government of Tripura is committed to creating an eco-system which is beneficial to oil palm farmers of the state and using the landmass which is best suited for the crop. With the oil palm processing mill coming up in the state, our farmers can now sell their produce within the state. We are excited to partner with trusted and reliable partners like Godrej Agrovet, who will definitely leverage their expertise in uplifting the oil palm farmers in the state. Their decision to set up a Samadhan center will not only aid the existing oil palm but also new to oil palm farmers, thereby demonstrating their strong belief in the state’s potential.”
Balram Singh Yadav, Managing Director, Godrej Agrovet Limited said, “ We are grateful to the Govt. of Tripura for their whole-hearted support in our common mission of uplifting oil palm farmers. The conducive eco-system being created by them is truly encouraging”
“We are confident that today’s announcement will not only aid farmers to sell their produce directly to us, but also help generate employment and promote businesses attached to the entire value chain of the business. We are confident that, by leveraging our expertise of more than three decades, the support and trust of the state will capability definitely provide us an opportunity to contribute to the nation’s journey of reducing dependency on the imports of oil palm,” he further added.
Commenting on the decision to set up the R&D center, Sougata Niyogi, CEO – Oil Palm Plantation Business, Godrej Agrovet Limited said, “As an organisation which keeps sustainability before profitability, it is our endeavour to promote sustainable practises in oil palm cultivation. In sync with the same, we have decided to set up an advanced research & development center in the region. Over here, our team of scientists would be carrying out genomics to develop seeds suitable to local climatic conditions and moreover the state’s climate. We are hopeful of taking out innovations from this center to other parts of the country.”
Also present on the occasion were Bhaba Ranjan Reang, Executive Member, Agriculture, Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council; Paul Dangshu, Member of Legislative Assembly, Karamcherra; Sambhu lal Chakma, Member of Legislative Assembly, Chawmanu; Bimal Kanti Chakma, MDC, Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council; Apurba Roy, Secretary- Agriculture, Govt. of Tripura; Dr Harikrishna Kulaveerasingam, SD Guthrie Plantations, Malaysia; Pranoy Debbarma, Vice-Chairman, Manu Block.
Godrej Agrovet Limited (GAVL), one of India’s largest diversified food and agri-business conglomerates and a pioneer in the Oil Palm sector in India, aims to expand oil palm plantations to 1.2 Lac hectares till 2027. To support the long-term sustainable development of the sector in India, the company launched a one-stop solution center, Samadhan, last year. Each Samadhan center intends to support the planting of ~2,000 hectares of oil palm and is equipped to support farmers in maximizing and sustaining yields from mature plantations by leveraging state-of-the-art agricultural practices and providing specialized guidance from industry experts. The company’s partnership with the State Bank of India would also support Oil Palm Plantation farmers during the gestation period.
Through the initiatives announced today, the company intends to increase the area under oil palm cultivation in Tripura to 10,000 hectares by 2027..ends GNI