BHUBANESWAR: The state government has decided to cover around 29.3 lakh hectare land under different crops during the Rabi season 2025-26, deputy chief minister KV Singh Deo said on Friday.
This will include 15.13 lakh hectare under pulses, 3.7 lakh hectare under oilseeds, 4.97 lakh hectare vegetables, 1.15 lakh hectare condiments and 0.21 lakh hectare under sugarcane. The government has set a foodgrain production target of 23.26 lakh tonne, pulses 8.2 lakh tonne and oilseeds 4.21 lakh tonne for the Rabi season, he said.
Unveiling the Rabi campaign 2025-26 at a state-level conference here, he called upon the entire government machinery to remain proactive and closely coordinated for ensuring timely input supply, effective inter-departmental convergence and continuous field-level monitoring.
Singh Deo said strong leadership, dedicated supervision and result-oriented implementation are essential to ensure that the benefits reach farmers and pave the way for a productive, prosperous and climate-resilient agri-season in Odisha.
Development commissioner Anu Garg said the state government is aiming to provide irrigation facility for 90 per cent cultivable area. She also underscored the need for efficient use of water for agriculture.
Principal secretary Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment department Arabinda Padhee said the 2025-26 Rabi programme has been formulated with a focus on enhancing the area and productivity of pulses and oilseeds, with a long-term vision of achieving Atmanirbharata in these crops.
An MoU has been signed between Directorate of Agriculture and Food Production (DAFP) and International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) for variety development, he added.
The conference also discussed successful implementation of flagship programmes such as Prime Minister Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY), National Pulse Mission, NMEO-Oilseed, National Horticulture Mission, Jackfruit Mission, National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY).
Alongside these, implementation of state-run initiatives like Shree Anna Abhiyan, Rice Fallow Management, Balabhadra Jaivik Chasa Mission and other collaborative programmes were also discussed for agricultural growth and improving farmers’ livelihoods.
