New Delhi: The Ministry of Agriculture has been studying ways to boost the production of tomato and chilli in the unexplored cultivable lands of Orissa. It is part of a Central initiative to develop the horticulture sector in the country.
According to the ministry, it has been collaborating with the Ministry of Science and Technology in exploring the possibilities of tapping the potential of wastelands and other un-used areas in the state to grow these vegetables.
“This is an integral part of our ‘Project Chaman’ where we are using Remote Sensing Technology to assess the possibility of using un-used lands to grow vegetables which could be used by farmers to increase their incomes,” Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said Monday.
He said the project which was launched around three years ago had given the ministry crucial data. “We have received interim data from north-eastern states. We are likely to get the information from other states too. We can share our findings with the states by March 2018 which could be used in various ways to boost horticulture in the states.”
The ministry had picked 185 districts in the country, including the major crop growing districts from Orissa, under the project to explore the ways to boost horticulture in the state.
Under the assessment studies, remote sensing data is being used for integrating various key indices, such as weather, soil, land use, crops and socio-economic data, to take decisions on supporting various horticulture development plans.
According to the ministry, the state governments can get the right direction for horticulture development plans based on suitability study reports prepared by the ministry. PNN
