STATE AIMS TO PRODUCE
5.28L TONNES POTATO THIS YR
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The State Government has set a target to produce 5.28 lakh tonnes
of potato and 4.50 lakh tonnes of onion during 2015-16.
If the Department of Agriculture achieves the target and
arrangements are made for its conservation at cold storages, Odisha would be a
surplus State in potato production by 2020, said official sources.
The State needs around 11 lakh tonnes of potato and three lakh
tones of onion per year to meet its internal demand.
Odisha chiefly depends on West Bengal and Maharashtra for potato.
To avoid possible shortage of potato in the State, the State Government is now
encouraging farmers to produce more potato of quality breed.
Around 14,187 hectares of land was used for potato cultivation in
2011-12 while in 2014-15 the vegetable was grown on 16,000 hectares. In
2015-16, the Agriculture Department is planning potato cultivation in 30,000
hectares.
Similarly, plans have been made to cultivate potato in 45,000
hectares of land in 2016-17 and 60,000 hectares in 2017-18.
While the department is planning to produce 5.28 lakh tonnes this
year in 30,000 hectares, the production is expected to increase to 11.12 lakh
tonnes by 2017-18. If the flow continues, the State would be self-sufficient in
potato production by 2020, the official sources claimed.
The State has also set the target to produce 4.50 lakh tonnes of
onions in 35,000 hectares of land this year while the demand is 3 lakh tonnes
per annum. The Government is now claiming to have 111 cold storages in the
State. However, only 24 cold storages in 13 districts are functional to
conserve 1.17 lakh tonnes of vegetables and food grains.
While the cold storages are insufficient in the State, question is
also raised on conservation of vegetable products in only 24 cold storages to
make Odisha a surplus State in potato production.
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