India expands pil palm cultivation areas
India has expanded its oil palm cultivation area by 52,113 hectares in the 2025/26 fiscal year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. The largest contributions came from the states of Telangana (12,005 ha) and Andhra Pradesh (13,286 ha).
The expansion is part of the National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm (NMEO-OP), aimed at reducing the country’s dependence on edible oil imports and boosting domestic production. Since the program’s launch in 2021, approximately 241,000 hectares have been planted under NMEO-OP, bringing India’s total oil palm area to around 600,000 hectares.
The Indian government’s long-term goal is to reach 1 million hectares of oil palm plantations by the end of the decade, increasing crude palm oil output from 350,000 tonnes in 2020 to 2.3 million tonnes by 2029.
Farmers are drawn to oil palm cultivation due to its higher profitability compared to traditional oilseeds and extensive government support — including financial incentives, technical assistance, and price guarantees for fresh fruit bunches (FFB). Many growers also intercrop oil palm with cocoa and other crops, improving land use efficiency and income stability.
Despite rapid growth, environmentalists have raised concerns about the ecological impact of large-scale plantations. The government has emphasized that expansion will occur only in designated non-forest areas and follow sustainable practices, balancing agricultural development with environmental protection.
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