BHUBANESWAR: With the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast of a normal monsoon, the state government has set a target for the production of 116.82 lakh tonne food grains, 2.22 lakh tonne oilseeds, 9.28 lakh bales of fibre and 87.42 lakh tonnes of vegetables and spices over a cultivated area of 61.80 lakh hectare during Kharif season of 2023.
The ‘Kharif Campaign 2023’ approved by the chief secretary stated the Agriculture Department has planned to diversify around two lakhs a hectare of paddy area to more remunerative crops. The Kharif programme was approved after The New Indian Express published a report on June 8, 2023, citing the delay is affecting crop planning at the district level.
Special emphasis has been given to different programmes like Odisha Millet Mission (OMM), crop diversification programme (CDP), integrated farming system (IFS), farm pond plus, farm mechanisation, Jalnidhi and Saura Jalanidhi. OMM has been extended to all districts by targeting rain-fed areas covering 177 blocks of the state.
Similarly, under the crop diversification programme target has been set to divert feasible upland and medium paddy land situated in the ayacut of mega lift irrigation projects to different non-paddy high-value crops focusing on area expansion of pulses, oilseed and vegetables in the state.
The government has planned to disburse crop loans of `20,792 crore to farmers to supplement their efforts and steps have been taken to cover all the willing farmers and loanee farmers under crop insurance.