Odisha hopeful to meet kharif target

Odisha is hopeful of achieving its target of 6.38 million tonnes of rice with the even distribution of monsoon rains for this kharif season.

In the first advance estimates for 2012-13 kharif season, the agriculture department has estimated to achieve the targeted 6.38 mt rice production cultivated in four million hectares (mha) of land with the productivity of 1597 kilogram (kg) per hectare(ha).

According to the estimate, the output of coarse cereals is estimated at 8.60 mt of and the yield is likely to remain around 620 kg per ha. It includes 0.674 mt of maize and 0.171 mt of ragi with the productivity of 2600 kg and 950 kg per ha respectively. Similarly, the production of pulses during the kharif season is estimated to be 0.43 mt including 0.13mt of arhar, 0.14 mt of biri and 0.109 mt mung.

This year’s target included 7.22 mt of cereals (6.38 mt rice, 0.65 mt maize and 0.17 mt  ragi), and 0.43 mt  of pulses (0.13 mt  arhar, 0.11 mt mung and 0.14 mt  biri etc).

In toto, about 5, 99, 000 tonnes fertilisers were provided to the farmers against the requirement of 9, 66, 000 tonnes.
However, with the revival of monsoon in August and September, the kharif sown area this year has surpassed the previous year’s sowing area coverage. The total kharif sown area on September end stood at 6.029 mha compared to 5.99 mha sown in the same period last year.

It may be noted that the cumulative monsoon rainfall (from June to September) in the state is deficit by 1.9%. In 17 districts, the deficit ranged from 0.1% in Angul to 32% in Balasore.
Paddy- a key kharif crop has been sown in 3.6 mha area against the target of four mha. Similarly pulses, oilseeds, fibers, vegetables and spices are sown in 0.72 mha, 0.33 mha, 0.14 mha, 0.66 mha and 0.101 mha respectively.

This year targeted kharif sowing area includes 0.74 mha of pulses,0.38 mha of oilseeds,0.14 mha of fibres, 0.32 mha  of vegetables and 0.81 mha  of  spices.