Arunachal Palm Oil Farmers Protest Delayed Pay and Poor Infrastructure

Itanagar: Palm oil farmers from 10 districts gathered in Roing on August 22 to demand action. The All Arunachal Pradesh Oil Palm Farmers Association held its second Central Executive Meeting in the Lower Dibang Valley. Farmers from Pakke Kessang, Papum Pare, Kamle, East Siang, Lohit, Namsai, Lower Siang, Tirap, and Changlang attended the event. They voiced frustrations over crumbling infrastructure and missing payments.

The growers face a dire situation. Transportation is a nightmare due to a lack of collection centres. Wild animals ravage plantations while improper fertiliser use threatens the soil. Worst of all, growers wait too long for Fresh Fruit Bunches payments.

Internal friction is also rising. State president Hormin Camdir Teli pointed to a lack of accountability in the association itself. Teli accused some office-bearers of dodgy dealings with District Agriculture Officers. He stated: "Some executives had engaged in unauthorised transactions with their respective District Agriculture Officers, resulting in only a portion of the intended funds reaching farmers."

Members demanded total transparency in financial management at both the district and state levels. The group wants clear rules regarding gestation periods for new farmers. They also plan to tighten legal coordination between the Agriculture Department and private oil palm companies. The members left the meeting with a goal to unify the association and force real change for growers across the state.