The Odisha Tribal Empowerment and livelihoods Programme (OTElP) Plus with the support of the Integrated Tribal Development Agencies (ITDAs) would help farmers in undertaking potato cultivation on a total of 460 hectare of land this year.

The ST and SC Development Department has communicated this to the Horticulture Deputy Directors of nine districts. The farmers would be provided potato seeds at the earliest after procurement, officials said.

Of the targeted 460 hectare, potato would be cultivated in 80 hectare in Koraput ITDA, 80 hectare in Paralakhemundi, 50 hectare each in Balliguda, Malkangiri, Thuamul Rampur, Nabarangpur and Gunupur, 30 hectare in Keonjhar and 20 hectare in Karanjia ITDA.

The State Government has targeted to produce 3 lakh metric tonne of potato this year under the Potato Mission.

While 39,600 MT of potato is expected to be produced in Cuttack district, the target has been set at 24,000 MT in Keonjhar, 12,000 MT in Mayurbhanj, 1,200 MT in Malkangiri, 600 MT in Nabarangpur, 2,400 MT in Kalahandi, 3,600 MT in Rayagada, 24,000 MT in Koraput, 1,200 MT in Gajapati and 18,000 MT in Kanadhamal district.

With this initiative, the production is expected to rise in the State this year, sources said.

While incentives are being provided to farmers under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), the State Government planned to produce potato seeds in the State on PPP mode.

It may be noted that only 2 lakh MT of potato is produced in the State against annual need of around 10 lakh MT. Hence, Odisha procures potato from other States to meet its need, for which price of the tuber sometimes crosses Rs 50 per kg.

The Government has set up only six cold storages in the past two years.