Agartala, October 21, 2026: Tripura is accelerating efforts to expand oil palm cultivation, with the state government aiming to cover 6,000 hectares during the 2026-27 financial year as part of its strategy to improve farm productivity and create additional income opportunities for farmers.
Director of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Horticulture departments PB Jamatia said 4,700 hectares had already been brought under oil palm cultivation against the annual target, leaving another 1,300 hectares to be covered by March 2027. The state currently has more than 10,000 oil palm growers.
According to Jamatia, the government is encouraging farmers, particularly those living in hilly areas, to adopt oil palm cultivation because of its potential economic returns. Awareness programmes are being conducted to familiarise farmers with the crop and its long-term benefits.
To facilitate expansion, oil palm saplings are being distributed free of cost through nurseries operated by private entities. The initiative is supplemented by financial assistance from the Centre for four years to support farmers during the initial stages of cultivation.
Jamatia said oil palm offered an additional advantage over rubber plantations, as farmers could cultivate other crops alongside oil palm trees and earn supplementary income. An oil palm plant generally takes four years to reach maturity and can remain productive for around 30 years.
He also pointed out that the Centre had announced an assured price for oil palm seeds, providing growers with greater certainty regarding returns from their produce.
Expressing confidence in the state’s suitability for the crop, Jamatia said Tripura’s agro-climatic conditions were favourable for expanding oil palm cultivation. Building on the current progress, the department has proposed covering 10,000 hectares under the crop in the 2027-28 financial year.
The government is also working to establish two oil palm processing factories, one at Nalkata in North Tripura district and another at Belbari in West Tripura district. Both facilities are expected to become operational by the end of December 2027.
Jamatia said the availability of local processing infrastructure would provide a significant boost to growers by facilitating the processing of their produce within the state. The proposed facilities are expected to strengthen the oil palm sector and support the government’s broader efforts to diversify agriculture and improve farmers’ earnings.