Jorhat, India: Priya Ram Duwarah has planted 60 oil palm seedlings in his half-hectare (1.2 acres) of agricultural land at Mohara village in Jorhat district in the northeast Indian state of Assam.
The 65-year-old farmer, who typically grows paddy and seasonal vegetables, stepped into oil palm planting last September after being assured of high returns by the officials of the state agriculture department. While it takes the plants four years to bear fruits, he says that the wait is worth the time.
