N. Lokesh, the National General Secretary of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) had given a word that if the party comes to power in the 2024 elections, he would set up an oil palm nursery and make sure that the saplings are provided to the farmers at free of cost.
This Monday that is on August 29 Mr.Lokesh told the farmers that the party would try to convince the central government for setting up a special board for the oil palm sector in the state while he was talking to the oil palm farmer’s at the Yuva Galam padayatra at Chintalapudi in Eluru district.
During the interaction, the farmers raised a complaint to Mr.Lokesh on the hike in the input cost which includes the importing of oil palm saplings. Responding to the complaint, Mr.Lokesh said that during their government for the tenure of 5 years i.e between 2014 to 2019 there was at least 49% of exemption in the import of oil palm saplings. He also said that the YSRCP has stopped this exemption after their government came to the rule. He promised by saying that this exemption would be revived if the TDP comes to power in the coming elections of 2024.
A refinery will be set up in the region of Krishna- Godavari where the oil palm cultivation is more as Andhra Pradesh is known for its oil palm cultivation says Nara Lokesh
The farmers during the interaction also complained that they were not able to sell their produce with the neighboring states due to restrictions laid by the existing government. They also added that a tonne of oil would get 21,600 which is more than what a farmer gets in Andhra Pradesh. Saying this they told that a maximum of 13,000 is fetched per tonne for the oil palm in the state.
The General Secretary Mr.Lokesh promised that they would look into the issue by examining more into the policies and the market on the oil palm cultivation in the other parts of the country.
