While the increasing trend of farmers’ suicide is giving sleepless nights to the State Government, the number of large, medium and marginal farmers is on the decline day by day.
As per the data from the past three agriculture census, the number of large, medium and marginal farmers has dwindled by 4.75 lakh in Odisha. Besides, the quantity of agriculture land is decreasing every year and the majority of land is remaining uncultivated. This has been a big challenge for the State’s agriculture system.
There were only 13,375 large farmers in the year 2001-02 which even came down to 5,574 during 2010-11. Approximately, 7,801 large farmers were deducted in the list in the previous agriculture census. The number is expected to fall in the next census.
Similarly, the State had registered 1.45,110 lakh medium farmers and 5.00,531 lakh lower medium peasants during the year 2001-02. But the number fell to 63,688 lakh and 3.11,261 lakh, respectively, in 2010-11. The number of marginal peasants has also declined during the past years.
A total of 11.13,599 lakh small farmers were registered during 2001-02. But the number reduced by 1.95 lakh. Only, 9.18,647 lakh marginal peasants were recorded in 2010-11. The Agriculture Department has also admitted to the fact of declining number of farmers.
However, the number of nominal farmers has risen during the period. While there were 22.94,520 nominal farmers in 2001-02, the number touched 33.68,296 lakh in the 2010-11 agriculture census. With the fall of large, medium and marginal peasants due to several reasons, State’s agriculture and farming now completely depends on the nominal farmers, sources said.
The quantity of cultivated land has also declined by 1 lakh hectares in the past 15 years. Around 7 lakh hectares of land remained uncultivated in 2014. And in 2015, the untilled area is expected to be more due to drought.
Meanwhile, the number of agriculture labourers has risen to 24 lakh from 20 lakh in the past.