Arunachal Oil Palm Farmers Concerned About Land Leases to Outsiders

The meeting was attended by oil palm farmers from East Siang district as well as district unit office bearers from across the state.

The All Arunachal Pradesh Oil Palm Farmers’ Association has flagged concerns about competition from Non-Arunachal Pradesh Schedule Tribe people from neighbouring Assam and other parts of the region.

The Association during its 2nd general body meeting conducted in Pasighat, stated that Non-APST are cultivating oil palm in Arunachal after procuring land lease for 50 to 60 years. To address the concerns, the Association has requested locals, particularly in Namsai not to lease their lands to non APST as it will result in direct competition to fellow Arunachalee oil palm growers.

The meeting was attended by oil palm farmers from East Siang district as well as district unit office bearers from across the state.

Speaking to media, Tana Jasap said, “The state’s oil palm growers are dealing with a number of serious problems that the government needs to address. And in order to avoid Fresh Fruit bunch (FFB) from losing weight, the 3F company and others who purchase the oil palm produces from the farmers, and should process the supplied produces on time.”

“Due to delay in processing and keeping the FFB in the factory for longer periods the weight of the fruits gets reduced which will be a huge loss for the farmers”, Jasap added.

Addressing their common concern in growing oil palm in the state, the association discussed issues faced by the oil palm growers, including rates of oil palm Fresh Fruit bunch (FFB). The association has also requested the state government to review the rate so that farmers do not end up with huge losses.
“Oil Palm farmers in the state are having concern on the low fresh fruit bunches (FFB) prices and we request the state government to review the rate so that farmers do not end up with huge losses, as there has been several investments in cultivating the palm plant. Additionally, we request the state government to allow Patanjali Foods Ltd., the oil palm factory at IGC Niglok near Ruksin, to resume operations. The factory has been closed due to non availability of electricity”, Jasap said.

“We also request the fellow Arunachalees, especially at Namsai area, not to give their lands to non APST for lease to cultivate oil palm, if not, it will be a loss for the other fellow Arunachalee oil palm growers,” Tana Jasap added.

Meanwhile, AAPOPFA President, Hormin Camdir Teli, said, “We are also concerned about the collection centre issue; companies are not picking up fruit from the fields, and when farmers give their produce to the company, it is often dumped outside for a few days, which is a kind of harassment to the farmers.”

“The Govt. of India has introduced oil palm plantation schemes in India to start producing palm oil in India to benefit the farmers of the country instead of spending huge money (nearly Rs. 60,000 to 70,000 crores) in procuring palm oil from Malaysia and Indonesia under National Mission on Edible Oil-Oil Palm. We have also heard that the government of India provides huge funds for oil palm farmers, but those funds are said to be misused by the government officials. Those officials will not be spared if they continue to scam the government funds meant for the oil palm farmers”, added Hormin Camdir Teli.

With the oil palm Fresh Fruit bunch (FFB) prices showing a declining trend across the country, farmers of the state are becoming restive. The FFB that fetched over Rs.18,000 per ton some years ago, now commands a price of only Rs.13,700 per ton. Any further drop in the prices would leave the farmers at crossroads, as the oil palm is a perennial crop with a life cycle of over 25 years. Given the huge investments involved they cannot be expected to switch over to other crops overnight. The agriculture department has identified approximately 1.26 lakh hectares in East Siang, Lower Siang, Kamle, Papumpare, Pakke Kessang, Lower Dibang Valley, Namsai, Tirap and Changlang for oil palm cultivation across the state.

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