Khammam: “Oil palm cultivation can bring significantly higher and more stable profits to farmers compared to traditional crops like cotton and maize,” asserted Minister for Agriculture Tummala Nageswara Rao.

As part of his tour in Raghunathapalem mandal on Friday, the Minister stopped at Rajab Ali Nagar village and visited the agricultural fields in the area.

He interacted with farmer Baanoth Veeranna and his spouse Vijaya, enquiring about their current crops and the yields they achieved in previous seasons. The Minister explained to the farmers that oil palm serves as a reliable alternative to cotton and maize. At a maize field in the village, he paused to counsel farmers on the long-term benefits of oil palm.

“The crop is less vulnerable to unseasonal rains, hailstorms, pests, monkeys, and wild boars,” he noted. He directed local leaders and horticulture officials to create widespread awareness in villages and encourage farmers to adopt oil palm cultivation.