Adilabad

The district administration has intensified efforts to promote high-value crops as alternatives to traditional agriculture and increase farmers’ incomes. As part of the crop diversification initiative, District Collector Rajarshi Shah conducted a special review meeting on the expansion of oil palm cultivation at the Collectorate on Thursday.

Speaking at the meeting, the Collector directed officials to focus on crops that could enhance farmers’ income while also supporting groundwater conservation. He instructed the concerned departments to prepare and implement an effective action plan to achieve the prescribed oil palm cultivation targets in mandals identified as suitable for the crop.

Rajarshi Shah stressed the need to conduct extensive awareness programmes at the village level to encourage farmers to shift from traditional crops to oil palm. He directed officers to explain to farmers the benefits of government subsidies, technical assistance, marketing facilities and the long-term income potential associated with oil palm cultivation.

The Collector instructed officials from the Agriculture and Horticulture departments to work in close coordination and build confidence among farmers regarding oil palm cultivation. He also directed them to accelerate the establishment of plantations in the identified mandals and regularly review progress at the mandal level to ensure that the targets are achieved.

District Agriculture Officer Ravinder Singh, District Horticulture Officer G. Sandeep Kumar, Horticulture Officers Kranthi Kumar and Alekhya, along with Agriculture and Horticulture Extension Officers from various mandals, participated in the meeting.