Milestone Achievements
1.Crop Improvement in Oil palm:
- Among the 10 hybrids evaluated for growth and yield parameters, the highest FFB yield of 198.39 kg/palm and per ha yield of 28.37 t was recorded in hybrid NRCOP 17.
- Best performing oil palm hybrid NRCOP17 was identified and released as ‘Godavari Gold’ by the Central Variety Release Committee during the 28th Annual Group Meeting on Palms held at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore during 5-8th June, 2019.
- Success stories achieved during XIIth Plan (2012-17) through AICRP on Palms
The Central and State Government had identified the cultivation of oil palm in the Cauvery delta region of Tamil Nadu, as a thrust area. Thanjavur was recommended as an ideal location for oil palm cultivation. The State and Centre supported oil palm cultivation with subsidies provided at the nursery level and for on-farm cultivation. Many progressive farmers who took up the cultivation are now reaping a good crop.
REAPING A RICHER HARVEST – SUCCESS STORIES OF OIL PALM GROWERS
FARMER 1:
| Name of the Farmer | D. Kaathalingam |
| Father Name | Dharmalingam |
| Village | Vadakkur, Orathanadu Tk |
| District | Thanjavur District |
| Extent of Plantation – under Oil Palm | 8.0 Ha. |
| Year of Plantation | 2012 |
| Total Yield during 2016-17 | 120 MT. |
| Productivity per Ha. during 2016-17 | 15 t/ha |
| Best Cultural Practices Adopted after intervention by TNAU-AICRP | Ø Banana was raised as intercrop in the initial 2 years
Ø Micro Irrigation Ø Mulching Ø Proper Dosage of Fertilizer Ø Use of Micro Nutrients Ø Use of harvester for Bunch harvesting |
FARMER 2:
| Name of the Farmer | A. Balasubramanian |
| Father Name | Arunachalam |
| Village | Kakkarai, Orathanadu Tk |
| District | Thanjavur District |
| Extent of Plantation – under Oil Palm | 2.50 Ha. |
| Year of Plantation | 2005-06 – 2.50 Ha |
| Total Yield during 2016-17 | 75 MT |
| Productivity per Ha. during 2016-17 | 30 MT/Ha |
| Best Cultural Practices Adopted after intervention by TNAU-AICRP | Ø Adequate irrigation
Ø Mulching Ø Proper Dosage of Fertilizer Ø Use of Micro Nutrients Ø Organic recycling of Farm waste |
Farmer’s experience
Since there were many risks associated with ground nut, paddy, maize and sugarcane cultivation, the farmers are in search for a farming practice that could provide them stable income and less labour requirements. After a series of analysis, they choose to go on with oil palm cultivation which proves to be highly benefiting option available to them. Though there were some problems like damage of plant by rats and rhinoceros beetle, it doesn’t cause a considerable economic loss and they were able to control them. Now they had identified that damage by squirrels as indication of ripening and so consider it as signal to harvest. They are willing to do mulching with plant waste, but considering the snake problems in their area, they are not practicing at present. Thus a sound knowledge and experience in farming made them to reap a rich harvest.
The farmers are listing the advantages of oil palm cultivation as follows.
- Without interference of any middle men they are able to sell their produce
- Without the theft problem the produce is coming to their hand
- The companies are procuring the produce at the government fixed price
- Less maintenance cost
- Payment is being credited within 15 days of marketing of their produce.