ROURKELA: Efforts to promote non-Basmati indigenous aromatic and non-aromatic paddy varieties to tap their export potential seem to have taken a hit in the tribal-dominated Sundargarh district with their cultivation falling far behind the target.
Under the state plan, it was targeted to execute cultivation of these varieties of paddy on a total of 1,000 ha in Lephripara, Subdega, Balisankara, Bargaon and Rajgangpur blocks with each block to cultivate 200 ha through community-based organisations (CBOs) with support of the State Level Supporting Agency (SLSA) selected by the Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment (A&FE) department.
However, the delayed implementation of the scheme under the state plan is being blamed for it. Against the target to cover 1,000 hectare (ha) in five blocks of Sundargarh with the cultivation of indigenous aromatic and non-aromatic paddy in the kharif crop season 2023, the district has achieved less than 45 per cent.
Reliable sources in the A&FE department said the programme implementation started very late and as a result, the execution target had to be slashed drastically as the ideal time for nursery raising and transplantation besides direct seed sowing and broadcasting operation was running out.
Subsequently, the seed supply was revised downward and seeds for only 448 ha in five blocks were supplied against the target of 1,000 ha. The total coverage area is 44.8 per cent and the indigenous aromatic and non-aromatic paddy varieties in Sundargarh included Ketakijuha, Nua Kalazira, Nua-Chinikamini, Gitanjali, Sugandha and other varieties.
Agriculture experts said as these varieties of seed usually take 130 days or more for harvest, the coverage area had to be curbed as the programme implementation started very late by July end. They said it was a setback for Sundargarh farmers with the programme having a 100 pc buyback provision.
They informed for this Kharif season, the paddy cultivation area has been increased from 2.04 lakh ha to 2.12 lakh ha in Sundargarh to boost rice production, adding the full target achievement under the scheme for indigenous aromatic and non-aromatic paddy varieties would have not only encouraged farmers across the district but also ensured income augmentation of the beneficiary farmers. Sundargarh chief district agriculture officer Janaki Ballav Mohapatra did not respond to calls for comment.