While potato production in the State remains to be far below the requirement, the information regarding the tuber output in 2014-15 furnished separately by Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment Minister Pradeep Maharathy and Planning and Coordination Minister Usha Devi doesn’t match.
While Maharathy furnished the data of his department, Usha Devi referred to the Economic Survey Report. Both the Ministers submitted replies in response to questions of BJP MlA Dilip Ray in the Assembly on Wednesday.
While the departmental report stated that a total of 2.68 lakh metric tonne (lMT) of potato was produced in the State during 2014-15, the Economic Survey report revealed that only 1.04 lMT potato produced in the year.
According to Maharathy, 1.91 lMT potato had been produced in 2010-11, 2.01 lMT each in 2011-12 and 2012-13, 2.48 lMT in 2013-14, 2.68 lMT in 2014-15 and 2.68 lMT potato produced in 2015-16.
Regarding output of other commodities, the Economic Survey Report stated that 98.45 lMT rice, 1.04 lMT Potato, 4.39 lMT pulses, 1.42 lMT oilseeds and 3.95 lMT onion produced in the State in 2014-15.