Open Letter to PM - PMO - AM

Subject: Misleading Claims on Oil Palm Water Consumption – A Threat to India’s Agricultural Future

The infographic being circulated claims that oil palm requires?less water?than crops like sugarcane, banana, and paddy. Such a comparison is?unscientific, misleading, and an attempt to justify the large-scale investment in oil palm at the cost of traditional oilseed farmers and India’s agricultural sustainability.

1. Oil Palm: A Perennial Crop with Year-Round Water Demand

The infographic presents a superficial comparison of water requirements?without accounting for fundamental differences between annual and perennial crops:

?? Paddy, sugarcane, and banana are seasonal crops, cultivated for specific periods, whereas?oil palm is a perennial tree crop?that requires?consistent water supply year-round?for 30+ years.

?? The claim that oil palm requires 67.33 lakh litres/hectare per year does not factor in?regional variations in rainfall, groundwater levels, and soil conditions in India.

?? Unlike in Southeast Asia, where oil palm grows naturally in high-rainfall areas, in?India, most plantations will require artificial irrigation, severely?depleting already stressed water resources.

2. Investment in Oil Palm: A 35-Year-Long Failure

The Government of India has been promoting oil palm cultivation since?1987, yet it has failed to create any?globally competitive, self-sufficient industry. Some key issues:

?? Despite decades of investment, India?still imports over 60% of its edible oil.

?? Private industry has been the major beneficiary of government subsidies, while traditional oilseed farmers have?suffered from neglect. ?? There is no?single successful model of oil palm cultivation in India?that can be compared with?robust indigenous oilseeds like mustard, groundnut, sesame, and sunflower.

?? India’s?diverse agro-climatic conditions favor traditional oilseeds?over monoculture-based palm plantations, which are?ecologically unsuitable.

3. Indigenous Oilseed Farmers at Risk

The heavy promotion of oil palm diverts attention and resources away from?millions of small and marginal farmers who cultivate indigenous oilseeds:

?? Instead of promoting self-reliance through oilseeds like mustard, groundnut, sesame, and sunflower, the government is subsidizing an?ecologically unsustainable crop?that depends on private sector control.

?? Traditional oilseed farming supports biodiversity, food security, and rural employment, while oil palm promotes corporate dependency and monopolization.?

?? The?Palm Oil Mission primarily benefits private players, not farmers, as seen in failed ventures since the 1990s.

4. A Call for Scientific and Sustainable Agricultural Policy

Given the above realities, it is imperative that the Government?reassess its policy?on oil palm cultivation and shift towards?sustainable solutions that truly benefit Indian farmers. I urge the PMO to:

i)?Withdraw misleading promotional material?that falsely claims oil palm as a water-efficient crop.

ii)?Commission an independent scientific study?on the feasibility of large-scale oil palm plantations in India.

iii)?Redirect subsidies toward traditional oilseeds, ensuring better MSPs and procurement policies for farmers.

iv)?Promote crop diversification and water-efficient oilseed farming, rather than blindly replicating Southeast Asian oil palm models.

v)?Develop sustainable, farmer-centric policies?instead of supporting corporate-driven monoculture plantations.

The future of Indian agriculture?cannot be dictated by short-term industrial interests at the cost of long-term ecological and agrarian sustainability. I sincerely urge the Government to take corrective measures before irreversible damage is done to India’s agricultural landscape.

Dr. M S Basu

Formerly, Director ICAR; Visiting Scientist ICRISAT; UNIDO International Consultant (Africa) and?Independent Consultant NAIP (World Bank Funded).

Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India ICAR- Indian Council of Agricultural Research NITI Aayog Official