Hyderabad, Dec 28 (UNI) Telangana Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar said on Tuesday that with the reduction of excise duty from 30 per cent to five per cent on oil palm seeds, the companies have been able to save Rs 260 crores so far.
Asking the Centre that the companies should be empaneled on supply of seeds, Mr Kumar said that subsidy should be extended to drip irrigation.
Stating that the state has a capacity to bring 20 lakh acres of land under oil palm cultivation in the next three years, the Chief Secretary said that this would increase the farmer's income four times. Mr Kumar also appreciated the Centre for conducting the National Mission on edible oil-oil palm summit.