Agriculture department flags off oil palm consignment to Mizoram

DIMAPUR — The director of Agriculture, M Ben Yanthan, on Thursday flagged off the first buy-back of fresh fruit bunches (FFB) of oil palm by Godrej Agrovet Private Limited (GAVL) at APMC compound in Wokha town.

An update from Agriculture department stated that around 5MT oil palm harvested in Wokha district was dispatched to GAVL oil palm processing mill at Kolasib in Mizoram in the presence of Z Hukhato Sema, joint director of Agriculture (NMEO-Oil Palm), and L Sunep Pongener, district agriculture officer of Wokha.

Speaking at the flag-off programme, Yanthan stated that department is practically experiencing the fulfillment of the pre-conditions laid by starting the buy-back of the FFB and termed it as red letter day for the oil palm farmers and the department. He informed that the buy-back of produce would be a continuous process.

Yanthan informed that the department decided to engage reputed companies for oil palm programmes and subsequently inked an MoU with the Godrej Agrovet private Ltd (GAVL) through an Expression of Interest for Zone 1 on January 9, 2023. He stated that as per the Clause 4 of the MoU, the company (the second party) would establish oil palm nursery within 60 days from execution of MoU to enable distribution of oil palm saplings. He added that the clause has been fulfilled following setting up of two nurseries one in Jalukie and the other in Niuland.

Yanthan also informed that the department laid a pre-condition to the company for signing the MoU to buy-back FFB of the old plantations which they agreed upon.

Quoting the MoU, Yanthan said that, “The second party besides taking up new area expansion shall also immediately adopt all existing oil palm plantation and proceed purchase of FFB produced in the adopted plantation within the allotted zone on buyback mode.”

Meanwhile, Yanthan congratulated the GAVL for their sincere efforts towards fulfilling the objectives at the earliest.

Report stated that the department officials and staff held an interaction session with regards to the ongoing buy-back process.