ADILABAD : For the first time, farmers in the erstwhile Adilabad district are reaping the fruits of oil palm cultivation. Officials say this will encourage other farmers to shift towards this lucrative venture.
In the pilot project started by the state government in 2020–2021, 109 farmers across 284 acres in Kotapally and Bheemaram mandals of the Mancherial district switched to oil palm cultivation. Departing from traditional crops like cotton, these farmers are now seeing companies offering Rs 26,000 per tonne of harvest.
Itikyala Padma, a farmer from Kothapalli village in Bheemaram mandal, who planted oil palm seeds on approximately one acre three years ago, is now reaping the rewards.
Similarly, G Rajanna, a native of Raspalli village in Kotapally mandal, started oil palm cultivation three years ago and is now witnessing the fruition of his efforts.
