India's first oil palm processing unit commences operations in Arunachal Pradesh under Mission Palm Oil

ROING: India's first integrated Oil Palm Processing Unit by 3F Oil Palm, one of India's largest Oil Palm development companies, started its commercial operations on Saturday and the factory situated at Roing in lower Dibang Valley in Arunachal Pradesh, carries forward Mission Palm Oil, representing a pivotal step in India's journey towards self-reliance in edible oils, catalyzed by the National Mission on Edible Oils - Oil Palm (NMEO-OP).

This integrated Oil Palm project will include a cutting-edge oil palm factory (Palm Oil Processing and Refinery), a zero-discharge effluent plant, a palm waste-based power plant, and additional structures and go-downs for support purposes.

This factory marks the first Oil Palm factory in Arunachal Pradesh and India's first Oil Palm Factory under NMEO-OP.

The inauguration of the 3F Oil Palm Processing Unit in Arunachal Pradesh was virtually carried out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 9, 2024, marking the commencement of a transformative journey.

Prime Minister Modi laid the foundation stone for various other projects worth over Rs 55,000 crore, reinforcing the government's commitment to the development of the Northeast.

Speaking about this inauguration at the Viksit Bharat - Viksit Northeast event in Arunachal Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the government's focus on Mission Palm Oil, with a special focus on Northeast, to not only achieve Atmanirbharta but also to empower farmers and boost farmer income. He thanked Northeast farmers for their enthusiastic participation and dedication to palm cultivation following the launch of the Palm Mission, which holds a promise for a brighter future.

Talking about the prospects of Palm Oil in India, Sanjay Goenka, Managing Director & CEO, 3F Oil Palm Pvt Limited., stated, "With the ever-increasing demand for edible oils, palm oil has become an important component to ensure food security of the nation. The commencement of operations of the country's first oil palm processing unit by 3F Oil Palm in Arunachal Pradesh is in line to encourage domestic oilseeds production. Northeast holds immense potential for palm oil production, and we have already invested Rs 100 crore in the region and have planned investments of Rs 1100 crore in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh by 2030 creating jobs for 1,700 people. We express gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his vision and emphasis on Mission Palm Oil.

3F Oil Palm played a pivotal role in this transformative journey of India's economic development. We thank the State Government of Arunachal Pradesh for its continued support and ensuring ease of doing business in the state."

In Arunachal Pradesh, 1,30,000 hectares of land suitable for Oil Palm cultivation has been identified, with the Northeast region alone housing a significant 33 per cent (9.6 Lakh hectares) of the government-designated area fit for cultivation.

Only 4 per cent of this potential in the Northeast has currently been utilized for Oil Palm Development. Despite this vast potential, India grapples with the formidable challenge of achieving self-sufficiency in edible oils, importing a staggering 96 per cent of its required palm oil, accounting for 67 per cent of the country's edible oil import bill, exceeding Rs. 1 Lakh crore.

Addressing this critical issue, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visionary initiative NMEO-Oil Palm Policy was introduced, aiming to reduce dependence on imported edible oils by promoting domestic oil palm cultivation, particularly in the Northeast, through financial, technical, and infrastructural support.

3F Oil Palm's state-of-the-art Integrated Oil Palm Processing Unit has been designed to process fresh fruit bunches (FFBs) into high-quality palm oil with an impressive capacity of 10 metric tons per hour.

With 2,500 hectares of oil palm currently being planted across a farmer base of 500 farmers, 3F Oil Palm Pvt Ltd is a leader and pioneer in Arunachal Pradesh's oil palm development program.

3F Oil Palm's strength lies in its farmer-centric, technology-driven approach. One Key Differentiator of 3F Oil Palm, is its innovative Farmer Excellence Centres known as "3F Akshaya Kendra" - a One Stop Solution for Farmers, providing a range of agricultural products, equipment and transportation rentals, labour services, financial services and more.

Technology is embedded in every segment of 3F Oil Palm's operations, with its - proprietary plantation management software 3F Smart Palm, and Farmer Mobile App 3F Akshaya. 3F Oil Palm is a pioneer is leveraging drone and satellite analytics for crop health monitoring using cutting-edge AI based image processing tools.

In Arunachal Pradesh, the company is the first in the state to import high-quality hybrid variety seed sprouts from specialized and recognized international companies. 3F Oil Palm is also the first oil palm company to provide agricultural inputs to farmers in Arunachal Pradesh. Both initiatives are anticipated to greatly boost farmer yields and encourage ease of planting. Owing to all these firsts and the additional traction produced by the Oil Palm Factory, the company is targeting to add 5000 Ha each year over the following five years in Lower Dibang District, Arunachal Pradesh.

3F Oil Palm has established a strong presence in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh. The company is currently dedicated to formulating a robust growth strategy for the Northeastern region, encompassing Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.

The inauguration and commencement of operations symbolize a significant step in that direction.