Odisha sets kharif food grains target at 10.1 million tonne

State's tentative production target includes 9.591 mn tonne of cereals, 0.5056 mn tonne of pulses

The Odisha government has set a food grains production target of 10.097 million tonne in the kharif season of 2013.

The tentative production target prepared by the state agriculture and food production department includes 9.591 million tonne of cereals, 0.5056 million tonne of pulses.

The kharif progamme for 2013 has targeted to produce 8.737 million tonne of rice, 0.675 million tonne maize and 0.162 million tonne ragi. Similarly, pulses production for the ensuing kharif season includes 0.141 million tonne of arhar, 0.14 million tonne of mung and 0.152 million tonne of biri. The agriculture department has targeted to cultivate cereals in 4.23 million hectares of land with the productivity of 2,268 kg per hectare (ha).

It includes 3.75 million ha of rice with a yield rate of 2,330 kg per ha, 0.27 million ha of maize and 0.18 million ha of ragi with productivity of 2,500 kg per ha and 900 kg per ha respectively.

Similarly the coverage area of the pulses is targeted at 0.895 million ha with productivity of 565 kg per ha.

This year targeted kharif sowing area includes 0.42 million ha of oilseeds, 0.17 million ha of fibres, 0.346 million ha of vegetables and 0.083 million ha of spices.

The target has been estimated on the basis of bumper production last kharif, said an official in the agriculture directorate.

As per the third advance estimates for kharif 2012-13, the food graina production is likely to be 10.003 million tonne.

Production of kharif cereals and pulses is expected to be 9.596 million tonne and 0.407 million tonne respectively. The target for 2012-13 included 7.22 million of cereals (6.38 million tonne rice, 0.65 million tonne maize and 0.17 million tonne ragi) and 0.43 million tonne of pulses.