Odisha neither has the necessary marketing facilities nor enough cold stores for agricultural produces, admitted Agriculture Minister Pradeep Maharathy in the State Assembly while replying to a question on Wednesday.
Citing it to be the main reason affecting agriculture in the State, Maharathy, who claims to be a farmer himself, said the State Government aims to establish a cold storage in each block in the next five years.
The Minister announced three grand conventions of farmers at Baleswar, Sambalpur and Brahmapur between September and November to encourage youths to come forward to undertake farming.
Maharathy stated that in accordance with the 2013 agricultural policy of the Government, which seeks to encourage capital investment in agricultural sector, 611 agro entrepreneurs have been provided with a subsidy of Rs 22.34 lakh each.
He also informed that the Government has plans to open two market terminals in Sambalpur and Ganjam districts apart from one in front of the Capital Haat in Unit-I in Bhubaneswar.