The number of large, medium, marginal farmers and sharecroppers is on decline across the State. Similarly, the size of farmland also is on the wane.
This was admitted by both the Planning and Coordination Minister Usha Devi and Agriculture Minister Pradeep Maharathy in a reply to Dilip Ray’s two separate questions in the House.
Usha Devi admitted the fact that the complete and partial sharecroppers’ number is declining in the State.
As per the Agriculture Censuses 2000-01, 2005-06 and 2010-11, the number of sharecroppers has come down by more than 2 lakh. While there were 7, 84,938 sharecroppers during 2000-01, it was reduced to 5, 72,985 during the Agriculture Census 2010-11.
During the period of 10 years, the number of marginal farmers cultivating on two hectares of land has also decreased to 9, 18,647 from 11, 13,599. The number of half-medium farmers cultivating the land between two and four hectares has fallen down from 5, 00,531 to 3, 11, 261.
The number of medium farmers cultivating 4-10 hectares has declined to 63,688 from 1, 45,110. Similarly, the number of large farmers cultivating land above 10 hectares has reduced to 5,574 from 13,375.
However, the number of nominal farmers has gone up during the period. While there were 22, 94,520 nominal farmers in 2001-02, the number went up to 33, 68,296 in 2010-11 Agriculture Census.
The total number of large, medium, marginal, nominal farmers and sharecroppers remains 52, 40, 451. As per the 2011 Census, there were 24, 20,540 agricultural labourers in the State and at least 75 lakh households depend upon agriculture, the Government report said.
Replying to another question, Maharathy said that the amount of cultivating land has come down in the State too.
While there was 61.80 lakh hectares cultivating land in the year 2014-15, farming was done on 54.56 lakh hectares land and 6.84 lakh hectares land had not been cultivated.
The crop loss has been reported in 215 blocks of 26 districts and the exact estimation can only be made after crop harvest, the Minister said.
While 58.29 lakh hectares land was cultivated in the year 2000-01, the quantity is expected to be reduced to 54.35 lakh hectares this year, he further said.
last year, irrigation facility was made for 20 lakh hectares with help of canals, 8 lakh hectares were under lift irrigation system in the Kharif season.
The Government is supplying subsidised seeds to farmers through Odisha State Seeds Corporation and Agro Industries Corporation, the Minister said.
While there is a need for supplying various variants of seed of around 8.81 lakh quintals, no allegation of providing substandard seed has been reported to the Government, Maharathy said in his reply.