Bhubaneswar: This year, the government has planned to cultivate potatoes in more than 50,000 acres of agricultural land. This step has been taken in the campaign to make Odisha self-reliant in potato cultivation. A high-level meeting was held in this regard at Lok Seva Bhawan today under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singhdeo. The meeting was also attended by the Principal Secretary, Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment Department, Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Director Agriculture Shubham Saxena, Director Horticulture Kalunge Gorakh Waman.
Deputy Chief Minister Shri Singhdeo has directed to provide potato seeds to farmers in advance to make Odisha self-reliant in potato. About 3 lakh potato seeds are required in more than 50,000 acres of land and this will be provided in advance to the farmers as and required by the Department. All the districts of the state have been asked to send their indent capacity of potato seeds, as soon as to the Agriculture Department. The department has made preparations for the smooth logistics for the supply of potato seeds from the first week of November. It will be supplied according to the block wise demand and distribution. Apart from this, there is a plan to cultivate 600 quintals of onion seeds in 6000 hectares of land, 100 quintals of chillies in 1000 hectares of land, and 7500 quintals of garlic in 300 hectares of land. Wherever more seeds are required or there is a shortage of seeds, it has been requested to contact the number 155333 issued by the Agriculture Department or to contact the nearest Horticulture Officer. The meeting was attended by the Agriculture Department, Horticulture Officer and Odisha Seed Corporation Officers.
