Post News Network
Bhubaneswar: Leading agricultural scientists and researchers have opined that the state should increase pulses production to address nutritional needs of the people.
“Orissa comes under the low pulse productivity region of the country. The average productivity of pulses in the state is about two third of the national average. Moreover, the per capita availability of pulses has also declined to 30gram/day. So we have to bring more areas under pulse productivity,” said LM Garnayak, dean of College of Agriculture, Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT).
However, the experts pointed out that the state should address various agro-ecological, biological and social-economic constrains for increasing the pulse productivity.
“Green gram, black gram, horse gram and pigeon pea are the most important pulse crops in the state. There is a need to increase pulses since they are vital source of plant bases proteins and amino acids. However, soil acidity, moisture stress, low productivity in rice-fallows, deteriorated soil structure following puddling and time non availability of good seeds are some of the major challengers in enhancing the pulse productivity,” added Garnayak.
Similarly, experts also opined that mixed crop system should be encouraged.
“Investing more on single crop system is always mistake. So our famers should try mixed crop farming along with livestock farming to make agriculture a successful field,” said BC Patnaik, a leading expert agricultural expert.