KTR invites agro-processing firms to invest in Telangana

HYDERABAD: Telangana IT Minister KT Rama Rao on Friday said that the Telangana Government was encouraging farmers to grow oil palm as the State's paddy production had increased from 6.8 million metric tonnes in 2014 to 25.9 million metric tonnes this year.

Speaking at the Global Roundtable 2022 on Veg Oil and Oilseed Sector hosted by the Indian Vegetable Oil Producers Association (IVPA) on Friday, the Minister presented the Telangana government's plan to cultivate oil palm on 20 lakh acres over the next five years, to reduce the state's reliance on imported edible oil seeds.

While inviting agro-processing companies to invest in Telangana, he said, "Telangana grows a diverse range of crops, including soybeans, groundnuts and sunflowers. Oil palm will be included. I invite agro-processing companies' CEOs to invest in Telangana because the raw materials they require will be available."

The Industries Minister also encouraged them to consider the food processing sector, noting that the state had set aside 10,000 acres of land for Telangana Special Food Processing Zones. Telangana will match or outclass other states in agribusiness or agro-processing firms, he asserted.

While speaking about the ease of doing business in Telangana, the Minister highlighted the key features of the ground-breaking TS-iPASS policy and elaborated on how doing business in Telangana is different and easier. He also discussed the vibrant ecosystem of Life Sciences and IT as well as the Kaleshwaram Project and their outcomes.

The Indian Vegetable Oil Producers Association (IVPA), the apex body of stakeholders in the Edible Oil Value Chain, is organising a two-day 'IVPA Global Roundtable 2022 on Veg Oil and Oilseed Sector' on November 18 and 19, 2022, at ITC Kohenur in Hyderabad, India, in collaboration with the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), the Centre for Responsible Business (CRB), and the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC).

The conference will bring together edible oil experts, researchers, technologists, and industry players with a significant stake in edible oils sector. The programme will include keynote lectures, talks, industry talks and panel discussions on key market dynamics, supply and demand forecasting, critical areas of self-sufficiency in the vegetable oil sector, oil palm and sustainability issues.

Speaking on the occasion, Sudhakar Desai, President IVPA, said, "The global food crisis triggered by the pandemic and the subsequent war between Ukraine and Russia have thrown multiple challenges to the edible oil sector ranging from sourcing to managing demand and supply, production and other market dynamics. This has once again brought the issue of aiming for self-sufficiency in edible oils into focus. The IVPA Global Roundtable 2022 on Veg Oil and Oilseed Sector is aimed at finding solutions to these problems, forging partnerships and developing a roadmap to make India self-sufficient in edible oils."