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Oil Palm’s Next Test: Turning Expansion Into Productivity
Oil palm can produce a lot of oil from a small amount of land.
At first, many Indian farmers were unsure about growing it, so extension teams explained the crop and showed demonstration plots.
Over time, successful farms helped other farmers gain confidence.
India’s oil-palm area has grown greatly, especially since a national mission began in 2021.
But newly planted trees take years to produce much oil, so more planted land does not immediately mean more oil.
The article says farms need suitable land, water, care and good support to succeed.
It argues that the next goal should be productive farms, not just more hectares.
That, it says, could help India reduce its dependence on imported edible oil.
India’s oil-palm area grew from about 8,585 hectares in 1991–92 to 3.70 lakh hectares in 2021–22.
The National Mission on Edible Oils–Oil Palm helped add 2.73 lakh hectares between 2021–22 and 2025–26, bringing total coverage to about 6.43 lakh hectares by March 31, 2026.
From 2021–22 to 2024–25, planted area rose nearly 50%, while annual crude palm oil production increased about 5%.
The article says much of the new planting is still juvenile and stresses that area expansion is not the same as productive expansion.
It argues that suitable land, irrigation, farmer skills, maintenance, extension and processing must support plantations to deliver viable yields.
- Who
- Indian oil-palm farmers, extension teams and the National Mission on Edible Oils–Oil Palm.
- What
- An opinion article argues that India should prioritize productive, well-supported oil-palm plantations rather than area expansion alone.
- Where
- India.
- When
- Published October 10, 2026; figures include data through March 31, 2026.
- Why
- To develop oil palm as a contributor to India’s edible-oil strategy and reduce import dependence.
Expansion
Productivity
How to measure progress
Expansion
The article notes that the National Mission on Edible Oils–Oil Palm accelerated planting and expanded the area under the crop.
Productivity
The article argues that hectares planted are not enough: progress should be measured by suitable, maintained plantations producing viable yields.
Pace of development
Expansion
The post-2021 period brought faster expansion, with support for planting material, irrigation, nurseries and processing infrastructure.
Productivity
The article says expansion, especially in newer regions such as the North-East, should be calibrated to land suitability, water, farmer skills, extension and processing capacity.
Key facts
- Oil-palm area in 1991–92
- About 8,585 hectares.
- Oil-palm area in 2021–22
- About 3.70 lakh hectares.
- Oil-palm area by March 31, 2026
- About 6.43 lakh hectares.
- Area added, 2021–22 to 2025–26
- About 2.73 lakh hectares.
- CPO production, 2021–22
- About 3.61 lakh tonnes annually.
- CPO production, 2024–25
- About 3.80 lakh tonnes annually.
- Yield benchmark cited
- Around 4 tonnes of crude palm oil per hectare for well-performing, mature plantations under good management.
Quotes
The five-year-old boy
A child selling packets for a Scouts charity fundraiser in Seattle.
“Let us think about it. We will come back to you.”
thehindubusinessline.com
“Till 100 people say no to me.”
thehindubusinessline.com
Sources
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