The first buy back of FFBs(Fresh Fruit Bunches)of oil palm by Godrej Agrovet Private Limited (GAVL) for the year 2024 and the first oil palm harvests for Wokha District was flagged off on May 23, informed a press release. The flagging off was conducted by Director of Agriculture M Ben Yanthan, along with Z Hukhato Sema Joint Director of Agriculture (NMEO-Oil Palm) and L Sunep Pongener , District Agriculture Officer, Wokha at APMC compound Wokha.
During the flagged off programme,Director M.Ben Yanthan said that the department is practically experiencing the fulfillment of the pre conditions laid, by starting the buy back of the FFBs which is a red letter day for the oil palm farmers and the department. The buy back will be a continuous process.
“The Department of Agriculture is taking serious note on the grievances on the plight of the oil palm farmers of Nagaland, and initiated efforts to establish the necessary infrastructures for buy back of FFBs with the previous implementating partners. However, it could not materialise and unfortunately terminate the association legally with the company following due process,” said Yanthan.
In the larger interest of the farming community of the state and the oil palm farmers in particular, Yanthan informed that the department had decided to engage reputed companies for oil palm programmes. In this regard, the department inked an MoU with the Godrej Agrovet private Ltd (GAVL) through an Expression of Interest for Zone 1 on the 9th of january 2023 and as per the clause 4 of the MoU , the company (that means the Second Party) shall also within 60 days from execution of MoU establish Oil Palm nursery(s) within zone-I to enable distribution of Oil Palm sapling as per proposed target of Zone-l.This clause has been fulfilled as it has now two nursery-one at Jalukie and the other at Niuland, added Yanthan.
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“The department laid a pre requisite to the company for signing the MoU that they had to buy back FFBs of the old plantations which they agreed upon and accordingly of the MoU states that “The Second Party besides taking up new area expansion shall also immediately adopt all existing Oil palm plantation and proceed purchase of FFBs produced in the adopted plantation within the allotted zone on buyback mode”,” stated the Director, acknowledging the GAVL for their sincere efforts towards the objectives at the earliest.
Later, the department officals and staffs also held an interaction session pertaining to the on going buy back process.
Around 5MT Oil Palm was harvested in Wokha area, in the buy back by GAVL Oil palm with the processing mill at Kolasib, Mizoram.
