03-22-2005, 10:46 PM
From Pioneer, 22 March, 2005
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Orissa gears up for cash crop farming
Ashutosh Mishra/ Bhubaneswar
<b>Having achieved self-sufficiency in rice production, Orissa is now likely to take up cash crop farming in a big way.
Sources in the state agriculture department indicated that about 10 lakh hectares of paddy land might be diverted for raising cash crops including fruits and oil seeds. </b>This will be the new thrust area for the state's agriculture policy likely to be modified accordingly.
Currently, out of 66 lakh hectares of available cultivable land, paddy is grown in over nearly 40 lakh hectares apart from another 10 lakh hectares devoted to the crop in the upland areas. Now the upland paddy area would be used for fruit cultivation, sources said.
The Centre, too, is willing to help the state in this regard. Sources said that the UPA government was all set to launch a horticulture programme from April providing assistance to the farmers for taking up cultivation of fruits and flowers.
Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar is likely to visit Orissa next month to launch the programme.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Very good news that Orissa has reached self sufficiency in paddy cultivation and can now think of cash crops. Orissa suffered for a major part of 20th century from famine. The agony of Kalahandi comes to mind. Now to make sure distribution works.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Orissa gears up for cash crop farming
Ashutosh Mishra/ Bhubaneswar
<b>Having achieved self-sufficiency in rice production, Orissa is now likely to take up cash crop farming in a big way.
Sources in the state agriculture department indicated that about 10 lakh hectares of paddy land might be diverted for raising cash crops including fruits and oil seeds. </b>This will be the new thrust area for the state's agriculture policy likely to be modified accordingly.
Currently, out of 66 lakh hectares of available cultivable land, paddy is grown in over nearly 40 lakh hectares apart from another 10 lakh hectares devoted to the crop in the upland areas. Now the upland paddy area would be used for fruit cultivation, sources said.
The Centre, too, is willing to help the state in this regard. Sources said that the UPA government was all set to launch a horticulture programme from April providing assistance to the farmers for taking up cultivation of fruits and flowers.
Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar is likely to visit Orissa next month to launch the programme.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Very good news that Orissa has reached self sufficiency in paddy cultivation and can now think of cash crops. Orissa suffered for a major part of 20th century from famine. The agony of Kalahandi comes to mind. Now to make sure distribution works.