Besides, palm oil is a highly productive crop, yielding far more than other vegetable oils at a lower cost of production. It also requires less water than crops like sugarcane and rice, offering farmers a reliable income source, and in fact, takes significantly less amount of fertiliser, pesticides and energy inputs as well In India, too, the National Mission on Edible Oils-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) launched in 2021 has emphasised the sustainable expansion of oil palm, as it moves to reduce edible oil imports, of which palm oil accounts for over 38% of the total consumption.
Under the initiative, the Indian government has identified 28 lakh hectares across 22 states and 284 districts, including 9.62 lakh hectares in the NE, as suitable for oil palm cultivation. The goal is to expand oil palm cultivation in these regions without harming the environment. By March 2023, 42,977 hectares in the NE had been planted under NMEO-OP, with a target of covering 3.28 lakh hectares by 2025-26.While mindful palm oil cultivation can actively counteract the effects of deforestation, it can also serve to utilise degraded land productively. This also goes towards meeting broader environmental goals.
Moreover, oil palm has been wrongly perceived as a monoculture. In fact, the NMEO-OP programme counteracts this with a special provision for intercropping of annual crops during the initial four years when the oil palm trees are yet to bear fruit. This, again, successfully conserves land resources and is ultimately better adapted to climate change. Eco-friendly practices such as adopting renewable energy, using methane capture technologies in mills, and non-dependence on chemical fertilisers lead to a lower carbon footprint. Therefore, it stands to reason that calling for the boycott of this ubiquitous and versatile edible oil is not the solution. If done responsibly, sustainable palm oil can meet the massive global demand for edible oils as well as align with larger climate goals.