Adult palm pollinators (Weevils) were released at a field in Ainato village under District Agricultural Office, Dimapur, on Wednesday. The event was organized in collaboration with Shivasais Co. Oil Palm Pvt Ltd, India. (Weevils are certain beetles, namely the ones belonging to the superfamily Curculionoidea).
M/s Shivasais Oil Palm Private Limited, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ranganayakulu, highlighted aspects of oil palm pollination and said that oil palm pollinating weevil (scientific name Elaeidobius kamerunicus) is the most efficient insect pollinator of oil palm plants. Introduction of the weevil into oil palm plantations increases fruit sets and dramatically raises the yield of oil palm, he said. The CEO also spoke about the importance of irrigation and fertilizers for oil palm and requested the officials to train farmers on its importance.
He also released the oil palm pollinators in the presence of department officials.
Joint director of agriculture, Remphamo Kikon maintained that oil palm plantation had started since 2015-16, covering the foot hill areas of Nagaland. Since it is a tropical crop, it cannot be grown in hilly areas, he added.
Kikon maintained that as per records available, so far 2972 acres of land have been covered and commercial production is expected in the year (2020-21). Normally, oil palm requires a minimum of two to three years for commercial production.
Speaking about oil pollinators and their importance, Kikon said that pollinators may be available even in nature, but unless it is introduced, there is less fruit production. The lifespan of the pollinators is only eleven to thirteen days, he said.
Clarifying apprehensions of farmers on marketing, he said that as per an MOU signed between the government of Nagaland and Shivasais company, the company shall set up collection centres within allotted cluster areas as per the approval of the department and purchase all oil palm FFBs of the farmers from the first bearing even before setting up of a mill. And farmers have to be informed about any changes in collection points with prior intimation to the department.
Later, pollinators were distributed to the DAO and SDAO oil palm growers. The pollinators were collected from the Indian Institute of Oil Palm Research (ICAR) Pedavegi, West Godavari district, Adhra Pradesh.