Baripada: Following a review of agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry and fisheries department activities, Minister Arun Sahu said Saturday that people would be encouraged to take up cash crops in tribal-dominated Mayurbhanj district.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, the Agriculture Minister said, “Mayurbhanj district, in view of its size and population, has much potential in various sectors. Paddy is the traditional cultivation, but people will be made aware of benefits of cash crops and will be encouraged to take them up through awareness drive.” An agenda has been drawn up to reach out to people to push the cash crop farming, he added.
The review meeting was attended by Collector Vineet Bhardwaj, Additional Secretary of the Fisheries Department Gangadhar Nayak, Additional Secretary of the Agriculture Department Manmath Kumar Pani, District Deputy Director of Agriculture Damodar Sethi.
At the review meeting it was revealed that non-paddy crops like maize, green gram, black gram, vegetables were cultivated in 1,44, 500 hectares in the current season in the district.
In the current year, 18, 300 soil samples were collected in 14 blocks to provide soil health cards to farmers while a target has been set to provide 91,500 soil health cards.
Under Odisha Millet Mission, millets have been raised in 1,000 hectares under Jashipur, Bisoi and Bangiriposi blocks.
Under the traditional agriculture development scheme, paddy has been cultivated in 1,500 hectares through organic farming method.
In the current year, crops like paddy, maize and arhar were insured under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.
The officials also reviewed fish production, implementation of Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana for fishermen, pisciculture and activities of horticulture.
PNN
