While in several sectors, farmers’ income has been doubled, the Odisha Government is on a move to boost farmers’ income further with a roadmap to 2030.
Accordingly, in order to enhance farmers’ income in the State, multiple strategies have been suggested by the State Committee on Enhancing Farmer’s Income (SCEFI).
SCEFI Chairman Sanjeev Kumar Chadha has recently submitted a Detailed Strategy Report to the State Government.
Chadha is Principal Secretary Co-operation and Special Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.
The Report of Doubling Farmers’ Income (DFI) headed by Ashok Dalwai says that farmers' income in various sub sectors have more than doubled in the State.
Dr Dalwai is appreciative of Millet Mission areas that have registered over two and a half times increase in productivity and income.
In fact, the Millet Mission is one of the flagship programmes of the Odisha Government spearheaded by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment.
The SCEFI has gone into details of the production, productivity, enhancement of resources, enterprise diversification, climate smart agriculture, organic farming, marketing strategy, credit support, insurance support, use of technology and other issues.
While Odisha has gone much ahead in production and productivity, more is needed to achieve the national average.
Take for rice production, yield per hectare is 2,475 kg, where as national average is 2,722 kg per hectare and Punjab produces 4,034 kg per hectare.
So far as pulses are concerned, Odisha produces 544 kg per hectare, where as Gujarat produces 1,172 kg per hectare and the national average is 823 kg per hectare.
Total food grain production per hectare yield is 1,862 kg, where as India average is 2,343 kg and Punjab yields 4,527 kg per hectare.
So far as oilseed is concerned, yield of Odisha is 945 kg per hectare, where as Tamil Nadu's yield is 2,626 kg per hectare and the national average is 1,224 kg per hectare.
Total vegetables production is 14,197 kg per hectare in Odisha, while the national average is 18,262 kg per hectare and Uttar Pradesh's yield is 19,431 kg per hectare.
Total fruits production in Odisha is 8.31 Metric Ton per hectare, where as all India average is 15.07 MT/Ha and Andhra Pradesh yield is 23.41 MT/Ha.
Under this backdrop, the SCEFI has suggested multiple strategies, which are needed for enhancing the farmers’ income and it is expected that soon the State Government will come up with the implementation of an action plan for enhancing the income to next level, said sources.
