KHAMMAM: Mushrooming oil palm nurseries promoting non-standard seedlings to gullible farmers to make a fast buck are turning out to be a serious menace to grease palm trade in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

There are 35 unlawful nurseries in Dammapet and Aswaraopet mandals. Neither horticulture officers nor Telangana State Cooperative Oil Seeds Growers Federation have a clue about these nurseries.

Gutha Srinivasa Rao, an MBA graduate and oil palm grower in Dammapet, mentioned, “Oil palm farmers have to be cautious as they are going to realise that they’ve sown spurious seedlings solely after 5 years. All their efforts will thus be misplaced. Unlawful nurseries have to be nipped within the bud,” he maintained.

Horticulture officer of Bhadradri district J. Marianna mentioned that they’d take stringent motion towards such nurseries. There’s a huge demand for oil palm seedlings in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Telangana authorities is making an attempt to make out there this yr 1.14 lakh oil palm seedlings within the state. The demand from farmers is double that.

Many farmers are visiting nurseries in Dammapet and Aswaraopet in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district and Pedavegi in Andhra Pradesh to purchase seedlings. Although not having correct data about oil palm seedlings, these farmers are prepared to present ₹500 per seedling when the market worth is ₹300. Black entrepreneurs are thus making an attempt to money in on the state of affairs by promoting spurious seedlings to them.

Indian Institute of Oil Palm Analysis (IIOPM), Pedavegi, principal scientist M.V. Prasad mentioned, “Two years’ time is required for growing a wholesome oil palm seedling. Governments or oil palm trade ought to place their order for seedlings with the institute two years upfront.” Scientists establish dura – feminine mother or father of mom palm and pisifera – male mother or father palm. Tenera, a hybrid seedling, is a progeny of dura X pisifera. Discovering palms and crossing them takes two years at the very least.

Scientists say it’s not possible to make the sort of seedlings in bizarre nurseries or farms. IIOPM is alleged to have produced 30 lakh seedlings this yr.

The central authorities and palm trade are anticipated to satisfy in October and estimate the demand for oil palm seedlings. It’s anticipated that the demand can be between 1.5 crore and a pair of crore seedlings. As such an quantity is not going to be out there in India, the federal government imports oil palm seedlings from Costa Rica, Indonesia and Malaysia in a giant means.

It’s mentioned Naramvarigudem Nursery has acquired 2 lakh seedlings from these international locations this yr.

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