**Executive Summary**
As of March 31, 2025, 68,324 ha has been brought under oil palm cultivation in the North Eastern Region (NER). There is a target to reach 92,543 ha in 2025–26. This report, dated December 17, 2025, outlines initiatives by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) to bolster the palm oil, agarwood, and bamboo sectors in the NER, with focus on livelihood enhancement, export performance and industrial development.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Palm Oil Development:**
* Cumulative area under oil palm cultivation is 68,324 ha as of March 31, 2025.
* Target to reach 92,543 ha under cultivation by 2025–26.
* 47 nurseries established to support expansion, with 22 more approved for 2025-26.
* Strengthening of seed gardens in Mizoram, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Assam.
* Processing capacity enhanced with existing mills and a new mill approved for Assam in 2025–26.
* **Agarwood Development:**
* Botanical Survey of India estimates 13.51 crore agar trees grown on private land.
* Roadmap approved in 2024, based on 2023 inter-ministerial task force recommendation, to guide sustainable cultivation, processing, and trade.
* NE States advised to prepare area-expansion plans.
* Export promotion strengthened with enhanced export quotas under CITES Convention (1,51,080 kg for chips, 7,050 kg for oil).
* Application processing for agarwood exports integrated on DGFT portal.
* GI tagging initiated by NERAMAC with NEC.
* PoC prepared for agarwood clusters in Tripura and Assam.
* **Bamboo Sector Strengthening:**
* NEC has sanctioned 23 projects worth ₹154.03 crore.
* NECBDC trained 4907 bamboo artisans and officials in last 3 years.
* DoNER sanctioned two projects (outlay of Rs 82.50 crore) to strengthen traditional artisan clusters, enhance market access, modernize products, link to digital/retail ecosystem, and promote engineered bamboo.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Farmers in the North Eastern Region (NER)**
* **Impact:** Farmers will benefit from expanded area coverage, timely access to quality planting materials, strengthened processing infrastructure for palm oil, and improved value chains for agarwood and bamboo.
* **Action Required:** To participate in the expansion programs for oil palm and agarwood cultivation and utilize the enhanced processing and market access opportunities.
**Stakeholder: Bamboo Artisans and Officials**
* **Impact:** Artisans and officials benefit from training programs and projects aimed at strengthening traditional bamboo artisan clusters.
* **Action Required:** Participate in training programs offered by NECBDC and utilize the resources provided to enhance skills, market access, and product modernization.
**Stakeholder: NE States' Governments**
* **Impact:** Increased cultivation, processing, and trade of palm oil, agarwood, and bamboo can enhance economic growth and livelihood opportunities within the states.
* **Action Required:** Prepare area-expansion plans for agarwood cultivation, supported by geospatial mapping, and work to implement the roadmap for sustainable cultivation, processing, and trade of agarwood.
**Stakeholder: Exporters**
* **Impact:** Enhanced export quotas and streamlined export processes for agarwood products.
* **Action Required:** Utilize the DGFT portal for export application processing and adhere to the enhanced export quotas under the CITES Convention.
Key Entities Referenced
North Eastern Region (NER): Geographic area, central to the scope of cultivation and development activities described.
Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER): Primary Ministry responsible for implementing the projects.
National Mission on Edible Oil – Oil Palm: Scheme aimed at expanding oil palm cultivation in the North Eastern Region.
North Eastern Region Agricultural Marketing Corporation (NERAMAC): Organization involved in GI tagging of agarwood products.
North East Cane and Bamboo Development Council (NECBDC): Organization involved in training bamboo artisans.
Ministry of Development of North-East Region
Development of Palm Oil, Agarwood and
Bamboo in NER
प्रव तथ: 17 DEC 2025 4:43PM by PIB Delhi
As per Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, as on 31st March 2025, a cumulative area of 68,324
ha has been brought under oil palm cultivation in the North Eastern Region (NER) under National Mission
on Edible Oil – Oil Palm, with a target to reach 92,543 ha in 2025–26. To support expansion, 47 nurseries
have been established and 22 additional nurseries approved for 2025–26.Besides, strengthening of seed
gardens has been taken up in Mizoram, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Assam. Processing
capacity has also been enhanced with two operational mills in Arunachal Pradesh and one in Mizoram. A
new mill has been approved for Assam in 2025–26. The Mission focuses on expanding area coverage,
ensuring timely availability of quality planting materials, and strengthening processing infrastructure to
benefit farmers across the NER.
Cultivation of agar trees is a part of continuing plantation programme including agroforestry, of the States.
The Botanical Survey of India in an assessment made in 2024 has indicated that there are about 13.51
crores agar trees grown on private land in NER. Due to its high export potential, Government on the basis
of recommendation of an Inter-Ministerial Task Force in 2023 approved a roadmap in 2024 to guide
sustainable cultivation, processing and trade. The NE States have been advised to prepare area-expansion
plans, supported by geospatial mapping in Tripura and Assam, while export promotion has been
significantly strengthened through enhancement of annual export quotas under CITES Convention to
1,51,080 kg for chips and 7,050 kg for oil. To streamline exports, processing of application for export of
agarwood products has been integrated on the DGFT portal. GI tagging has also been taken up by North
Eastern Region Agricultural Marketing Corporation (NERAMAC) Ltd in collaboration with North Eastern
Council (NEC). Proof of Concept (PoC) has also been prepared for development of two Agarwood
clusters at Kadamtala (Tripura) and Golaghat (Assam). Collectively, these interventions aim to expand
cultivation, strengthen value chains, and boost agarwood exports from the North Eastern Region.
A total 23 projects worth ₹154.03 crore for strengthening bamboo sector in NER have been sanctioned by
NEC so far. North East Cane and Bamboo Development Council (NECBDC) has trained a total of 4907
bamboo artisans and officials during the last three years. Ministry of Development of North Eastern
Region (DoNER) has sanctioned two Projects with a total outlay of Rs 82.50 crore for strengthening of
traditional bamboo artisan clusters by enhancing market access, modernizing products, and linking them
with digital and retail ecosystem; as well as for promotion of engineered bamboo products through cluster
strengthening and export facilitation in NER.
Over the last year, the Government has implemented comprehensive initiatives across the NER to
strengthen bamboo, oil palm, and agarwood value chain by focusing on livelihood enhancement, export
performance and development of industries through the development of these three value chains, palm oil,
agarwood and bamboo, including the measurable outcomes.
This information was given by the Minister of State of Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region
Dr. Sukanta Majumdar in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.*****
PS
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