Odisha Govt Targets To Cover Over 28 Lakh HA For Rabi Crop In 2023-24

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has set a target to cover around 28.14 lakh hectare under different crops during Rabi season in 2023-24.

This was revealed in the state-level conference on Rabi Campaign 2023-24 held in Bhubaneswar on Friday. The target area includes 14.34 lakh hectare (ha) under pulses, 3.73 lakh ha under oilseeds, 5.39 lakh ha under vegetables, 1.13 lakh ha under condiments and 0.3 lakh ha under sugarcane.

The government has also set the production target of 19.39 lakh ton for foodgrains, 7.53 lakh ton for pulses and 4.18 lakh ton for oilseeds during the season.

The focus areas of Rabi programme will be enhancing irrigation usage, promotion of pulses and oilseeds through rice fallow management and implementation of block specific Agriculture Action Plan in delta command areas.

Addressing the conference, Agriculture Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain said Odisha has become a surplus state in rice production due to innovative schemes of the government. “Crop diversification, integrated farming, rice fallow management, cultivation of cash crops such as pulses and oilseeds and vegetables are being encouraged to cope with climate change and increase farmers’ income,” he added.

Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena emphasised on the practice of climate smart agriculture in view of climate change by diversification of crops with emphasis on pulses, oilseeds and vegetables. Development Commissioner Anu Garg said the government is investing adequate fund in water conservation and irrigation system.

Arabinda Kumar Padhi, principal secretary, Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment department; Suresh Kumar Vashishth, principal secretary, Fisheries and ARD department; Premchandra Chaudhary, Director, Agriculture and Food Production and Rohit Kumar Lenka, Director, Horticulture also spoke.