ROURKELA: WITH residual soil moisture suitable for pulses, the Agriculture Department has planned cultivation of different crops in 34,880 hectare (ha) of the total 93,684 ha of land in the rain-fed Sundargarh district in the Rabi crop season. However, the district continues to ignore its potential of becoming a bulk producer of pulses and curb import from other States.
In the Kharif season this year, against the target of 36,900 ha, the district had achieved 89.25 per cent (pc) growth of pulses over 32,935 ha. In the ongoing Rabi season, the district has programmed pulses over 8,100 ha of irrigated land and 25,700 ha of non-irrigated land. Pulses like Horse Gram, Biri, Mung, Gram, Fieldpea, Lentil and Cowpea will be grown over 15,950 ha, 1,880 ha, 11,500 ha, 2,200 ha, 1,200 ha, 150 ha and 2,000 ha respectively. In the Rabi season last year, the district had achieved pulses cultivation in 38,695 ha.
Agriculture experts said Sundargarh is a major agriculture district having a total 3.13 lakh ha farmland including about 1.63 lakh ha upland, 95,000 medium-land and 55,000 lowland. Three years back, Agriculture Department officials had started laying thrust on diversification of crops and educated the farmers not to just opt for paddy on high land in Kharif season amid erratic monsoon pattern. But, overall total pulses coverage areas have not been increased either in Kharif or Rabi seasons.
An agriculture officer said at least one lakh ha of agriculture land in Sundargarh is suitable for cultivation of pulses and oilseeds. Pulses can be grown on double the land size than present area but, lack of direct marketing link and processing units are major impediments for the district in becoming self-sufficient in pulses, he said.
In 2016, when the State faced steep price hike of pulses, the then Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare minister Sanjay Dasburma while replying to a question of former Rourkela MLA Dilip Ray, had stated that Odisha annually procures about 3.35 lakh tonne of pulses from other States to meet its domestic consumption.
Ray had then reiterated demand for agriculture mapping at gram panchayat level and extension of all facilities to farmers to boost production of pulses having national demand. He said traders of neighbouring States procure raw pulses at cheaper cost from local farmers and sell those back in Odisha at higher prices. “Consumers continue to fall victims to price manipulation in the event of short in supply”, he said.
LACK OF MARKET
● At least one lakh ha of agriculture land in Sundargarh is suitable for cultivation of pulses and oilseeds
● Pulses can be grown on double the land size than present area but, lack of direct marketing link and processing units are major impediments for the district in becoming self-sufficient in pulses
● Traders of neighbouring States procure raw pulses at cheaper cost from local farmers and sell them back in Odisha at higher prices