Odisha Registers 51% Growth In Maize Production

Bhubaneswar: The maize production in Odisha has increased by around 51% under the Mukhyamantri Maka Mission (MMM).

This was revealed in a high-level review meeting of the MMM held by 5T & Nabin Odisha chairman VK Pandian in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday. The progress of the programmes implemented under the scheme to solve various problems of betel leaf, Kia flower and lemongrass farmers was discussed at the meeting.

The review revealed that 44,730 quintal of maize had been collected by the Farmer-Producer Organisations (FPOs) by the end of November.

It was decided in the meeting that more FPOs would be formed for collection of maize so that the farmers can get fair prices. More private traders would also be involved to ensure more value to the produce of the farmers.

The government had set the target to form 15 FPOs by the end of this year and 13 have already been formed including 4 for women only. In the first year of the Mission, the target is to collect and market 20,000 ton of maize.

It was also decided that steps will be taken to increase the capacity of FPO and involved ORMAS in the primary processing and marketing of maize. At present, the Mission is being implemented in Nabarangpur, Koraput, Gajapati and Nuapada districts.

The meeting decided to set up a Kia flower processing unit through APICOL and provide financial assistance of Rs 84,000 under Horticulture Mission Plus and Rs 16,000 under NHM to the farmers taking up lemon grass farming in Koraput. It was revealed that the Chief Minister has announced interest-free loan upto Rs 1 lakh for betel leaf farmers.

Among others, Chief Secretary Pradip Kumar Jena, Chief Advisor to the Chief Minister’s Office Suresh Kumar Mohapatra, Development Commissioner Anu Garg, Principal Secretary, Agriculture Arabinda Padhee and district collectors of Nabarangpur, Ganjam, Puri and Koraput participated in the meeting.