Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has called for an integrated approach to agriculture and horticulture development in the Chilika Assembly constituency, with emphasis on promoting crops suited to the local soil and climatic conditions and strengthening farmers’ market opportunities.
Law, Works and Excise Minister Prithviraj Harichandan reviewed the status and implementation of various agriculture, horticulture and soil conservation schemes in the Chilika and Banapur blocks of Khordha district at a meeting held recently.
Chilika and Banapur have considerable potential for agricultural and horticultural activities, with the region’s soil and climate being suitable for a wide range of crops and produce, including coconut, mango, jackfruit, cashew, paddy, green gram, ragi, foxtail millet, brinjal, pointed gourd and spine gourd.
During the meeting, Harichandan said agriculture and horticulture should be developed through an integrated model aimed at enhancing farmers’ incomes and giving the sector greater economic importance. He stressed the need to identify and promote crops based on local soil and climatic conditions and their demand in the market.
The minister particularly highlighted the reputation of green gram produced in the Banapur area and the potential for coconut cultivation in the coastal belt of Chilika. He called for greater focus on increasing the production of fruits and vegetables alongside paddy and millets, especially those with strong market demand.
Harichandan also stressed the need to establish cold storage facilities wherever required to reduce post-harvest losses and improve crop preservation. He called for greater research and promotion of organic farming, besides encouraging flower cultivation, mushroom farming and fodder production in the region.
The minister directed officials to ensure that farmers benefit from various schemes of both the state and central governments, in line with the government’s objective of building a developed Odisha.
Officials attending the meeting briefed the minister on ongoing programmes in the region, farmer training camps and subsidy schemes. They also discussed measures to expand agriculture, horticulture and soil conservation initiatives in the constituency.
Khordha Chief District Agriculture Officer Manoranjan Mishra, Assistant Director of Horticulture Shreya Saswati, Director of the Soil Conservation Project Srishti Nanda and other senior district officials attended the meeting.
