Cultivation Of Oil Palm Is Not Safe For Mizoram

Meet H Lalparthar, a resident of West Plaileng of Mamit district. He has been cultivating oil palm since 2018, with the hope that it will monetarily benefit him. When the Godrej went to meet the growers, they assured them that with 10 oil palms, their earning will be more than those with BA/ MA degrees.

But the cultivation of oil palm was not profitable as we have been informed. I profit a lot from my other crops like banana, banana flowers and pineapple,” said H Lalnunthara while speaking to this correspondent.

The earning I get from 2 months of my crops do not measure up to the earnings I get from oil palm in a year, Lalparthar further said, adding, We sell the oil palm for Rs5.50, we pay for all the transportation and labour cost. So, we as a family do not profit him.

He stated that even the cost of labour is expensive with Rs 400 to Rs 500 per day.

All these have given the only option to slash the oil palm. Moreover, wherever oil palms are planted, it sucks out all the moisture of the surrounding soil, he mentioned.

He added that though he was interested in the beginning, the losses incurred and environmental damage it incurred changed my mind. Many animals love to hang out around, feeding on the palm nuts, but as it sucks out the moisture of the soil, other crops do not have a chance to strive.

“I have decided to replace it with areca nuts. In one oil palm area, we can plant 10 areca nuts. There are a few oil palm nuts, once I sell them off, I will slash the whole oil palms” he mentioned.