Bhubaneswar: Odisha has been conferred with the prestigious Agriculture Leadership Award instituted by the Agriculture Today Group. The award was presented at the 16th Agriculture Leadership Conclave organised by the group.
The award was received by Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment and Energy, Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo at a glittering function in New Delhi in the presence of Union Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal.
Also present at the event were former Chief Justice of India and Chairman of the Award Committee, Justice P Sathasivam; Union Minister of State for Skill Development and HRD, Jayanta Choudhury; and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini.
“This award is a testament to the innovation and hard work of the farmers of Odisha. I dedicate this award to the annadatas of Odisha. The government of Odisha expresses its heartfelt gratitude to Agriculture Today Group for this award and its commitment to make Odisha a model in sustainable agricultural development in India,” said Singh Deo said.
This national recognition reflects Odisha’s remarkable achievements in agricultural growth, innovation and inclusive development, the Deputy CM said.
During 2024-25, agriculture and allied sectors contributed about 19% to Odisha’s Gross State Value Added (GSVA), which has grown by 3.3%, surpassing the national average for the last five years. Agriculture and allied sectors together constitute the single largest employer in the state, employing 49.0 per cent of the total workforce, officials said.
Odisha’s agricultural progress is a result of the state government’s forward-looking economic policies, sustained policy support and major investments in rural infrastructure. Promotion of crop diversification and adoption of climate-resilient practices promoted by the government have put Odisha on the top of the list today. The rice production in the state in 2023-24 was 115.39 lakh metric tonnes, which is equivalent to 174.83 lakh metric tonnes of paddy. Odisha is the fourth largest rice supplier to the Food Corporation of India (FCI).
Odisha has witnessed improved productivity, increased rural income and improved food security due to the government’s focus on modernising agriculture through technology adoption, farmer training and value chain development. Last year, Odisha had the largest sale of tractors in India. The state’s farm power input reached 2.60 kw per hectare in 2024-25. It is targeted to reach 3.5 kw per hectare by 2036.
Odisha exported 121.82 metric tonnes of horticultural produces like dragon fruit, cashew nuts, mango and various types of vegetables to Middle East countries such as UAE, Qatar, England, Ireland, France, Italy, Sweden, Belgium, Poland and Germany through Biju Patnaik International Airport, Bhubaneswar and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata.
Odisha ranks second in India in terms of all types of fruit production, first in the production of sweet potato, first in the production of paddy straw mushroom, second in the country in brinjal, cabbage, third in cashew nuts, fifth in the production of watermelon, cauliflower, okra, tomato, lemon and coconut. Odisha’s commitment to sustainable and inclusive agricultural development has set a benchmark for other states to emulate.
