Patna: In a move aimed at boosting self-employment and diversifying crop cultivation, the Bihar government has invited online applications to set up avocado nurseries in four districts of the state. The initiative is part of the National Edible Oil-Oilseeds Mission (2025–26), which seeks to make India self-reliant in edible oil production.
Farmers, as well as public and private sector applicants from Muzaffarpur, Nalanda, Begusarai and Purnia, are eligible to apply through the official portal https://onlinedbtagriservice.bihar.gov.in. Selected applicants will receive a financial grant of Rs 20 lakh to develop infrastructure and start nursery operations.
To be eligible, applicants must possess a minimum of 0.4 hectares of land and be registered on the DBT portal. The application process requires uploading land ownership documents, a passport-size photograph, and a geo-tagged image of the proposed nursery site. SC and ST applicants must also submit their caste certificates.
Further documentation includes a nursery training certificate, a detailed layout plan, and a consent letter for bank loans or a bank loan receipt.
Once selected, applicants will receive Rs 10 lakh as the first instalment after completing the necessary infrastructure within three months of receiving the work order. The remaining Rs 10 lakh will be disbursed based on an inspection report once sapling production begins, expected between December 2025 and February 2026. No funding will be provided if the nursery setup is incomplete by February 2026.
The National Edible Oil-Oilseeds Mission was launched in 2021–22 and will run until 2025–26. Aimed at reducing India’s heavy dependence on imported edible oils—currently over 60%—the scheme promotes the cultivation of major oilseed crops such as mustard, soybean, groundnut, and sesame. It also encourages the development of alternative oil-yielding crops like olive, castor, palm oil, and avocado.
