Readers’ Voice

Advantages of palm oil tree plantation

In recent years, more and more people are being killed by lightning.

Government has planned to reduce such deaths by planting palm trees in rural Bangladesh. The plan is good.

Definitely if the plan is implemented the death toll will reduce significantly.

I like to suggest planting Palm oil trees instead of traditional local palm trees.

When we shall plant a huge palm oil tree in rural Bangladesh it will reduce death caused by lightning as well as produce palm oil for countrymen which we import spending huge scarce foreign currency.

Bangladesh spends a huge amount of money to import palm oil to meet the nation’s demand: last year, Bangladesh spent US$ 1.9 billion to import edible oil.

This huge amount of money we could save and use in other important projects. It is quite possible to produce palm oil in our very own country.

Except for the months of December and January, the tropical climate of Bangladesh is favorable for palm oil production throughout the year.

The coastal area of the country is particularly suitable to grow the palm trees, but they can be grown anywhere in Bangladesh.

In coastal areas, massive palm oil tree plantations can reduce the devastating effects of natural disasters that take place every year.

It will extensively reduce the shocks of cyclones and tidal bores, which have been affecting people residing in coastal areas and death by lightning For a long period, a significant number of Bangladeshis have been going to work in palm oil tree plantation gardens in countries like Malaysia.

They have practical experience in palm oil tree plantation and harvesting.

These workers’ expertise can use by investing in the same tree plantation project in Bangladesh.

Within the first five years of investing in palm tree plantations, Bangladesh will be able to produce its own edible oil, saving huge foreign money every year.

As it requires a labour-intensive workforce, it will also help reduce Bangladesh’s unemployment levels.

Last year Thailand achieved self-sufficiency in growing palm oil to cater its domestic demand.

Malaysia and Indonesia are two of the countries that systematically produce the highest quantity of palm oil and export it to different countries.

Owing to scientific research, Malaysia has produced 10 tons of oil from a hectare of land within the short span of a year.

Bangladesh can seek technical help from Malaysia and Indonesia to help cater to the local demand for edible oil.

Production of palm oil from palm fruit will increase employment of skilled and semiskilled workers.

Moreover, it will help increase the gross domestic income of the country as palm oil yield is many fold higher than any other edible oil.

A few large-scale initiatives by the government will be enough to meet the local demand.

The government may entrust the responsibility to the Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation, Agriculture Extension Department and Forest Department to plant palm oil plant gardens in different regions of Bangladesh, especially the coastal areas.

Md Ashraf Hossain
Central Bashabo, Dhaka