Odisha signs landmark MoU to boost oil palm farming

Bhubaneswar: Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment, Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with three major oil palm companies.
This agreement on Thursday aims to accelerate large-scale oil palm cultivation in the state’s districts, marking a significant boost to Odisha’s edible oil production.
The MoU, which was signed under the National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm (NMEO-OP), paves the way for oil palm plantations to expand across the districts of Angul, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, and Cuttack. The companies involved in this venture are Patanjali Foods Limited (Cuttack), Tumfala Agro Products Private Limited (Angul), and Liv Palm Resources Private Limited (Dhenkanal and Jajpur).
These industry leaders are set to contribute their expertise in scaling up oil palm cultivation in the state.
At the MoU signing ceremony, Deputy CM Singh Deo expressed his enthusiasm about the project’s potential to reshape Odisha’s agricultural sector. He emphasized that this collaboration would not only enhance the state’s oil palm production but also bring multiple socio-economic benefits.
“This MoU will provide farmers with better market prices for their produce, create significant employment opportunities in rural areas, and ultimately contribute to a stronger economy for Odisha,” Singh Deo said.
The partnership aligns with the state’s vision of empowering local farmers while strengthening the agro-industrial ecosystem. Singh Deo also highlighted that the initiative would attract fresh investments, provide access to modern agricultural technologies, and enhance the overall competitiveness of Odisha’s agricultural exports.
Representatives from the partnering companies reaffirmed their commitment to utilizing cutting-edge technologies to maximize the potential of oil palm cultivation in Odisha. The project is expected to not only increase domestic edible oil production but also reduce the state’s reliance on external sources.