Odisha has registered an estimated agricultural growth rate of 5.3 per cent for the financial year 2025-26, significantly higher than the national average of 3.1 per cent, the state government claimed at the National Conference on Kharif Campaign held in New Delhi on Friday.
The announcement came even as the Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) stepped up its attack on the BJP government over alleged irregularities in Rabi paddy procurement in the state.
The Odisha delegation, led by Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, participated in the deliberations on preparedness for the Kharif 2026 season and outlined plans to bring 57.40 lakh hectares under cultivation.
The state government said Odisha’s agricultural roadmap is aligned with the Centre’s “Purvodaya” vision and the state’s long-term framework “Vikashit Odisha @ 2036”, with focus on farmer welfare, climate resilience and rural infrastructure.
The growth projection follows a record agricultural season in 2024-25, during which Odisha produced more than 150 lakh metric tonnes of food grains and 156 lakh metric tonnes of horticulture crops.
To support the upcoming Kharif season, the state has created a Rs 100 crore corpus fund for supply of four lakh quintals of certified seeds and another Rs 240 crore fund to ensure timely availability of 11.43 lakh metric tonnes of fertilisers.
The government also highlighted the implementation of the flagship “Samrudha Krushak Yojana”, under which paddy farmers are assured procurement at Rs 3,100 per quintal through additional input assistance over the Minimum Support Price (MSP).
However, the BJD on Friday alleged that nearly two lakh farmers were deprived of registration for Rabi paddy procurement, forcing many to stage protests outside LAMPS offices and district collectorates to secure their dues. The Opposition party further claimed that farmers were promised MSP along with an additional input subsidy of Rs 800 per quintal, but are now struggling to sell their produce because of the alleged “collapse” of the mandi system.
As part of efforts to modernise agriculture, Odisha is implementing its Digital Agriculture Mission comprising a Farmer Registry, Digital Crop Survey and AgriStack integration for technology-based service delivery.
Seeking enhanced support from the Centre, Odisha submitted a memorandum proposing several policy interventions. Under the “Mission for Atmanirbharata in Pulses”, the state sought enhancement of allocation for pulse demonstration programmes from Rs 24.74 crore to Rs 200 crore, increasing coverage from 24,740 hectares to two lakh hectares.
The state also requested full approval of its Rs 80.50 crore Digital Crop Survey action plan, of which Rs 42.75 crore has been sanctioned so far.
Odisha further proposed simplification of the Price Support Scheme (PSS) mechanism by introducing a single quality check at procurement centres to facilitate immediate payments to farmers through MARKFED.
Highlighting sustainable agriculture initiatives, the state showcased its proposed five-year “Balabhadra Jaibika Chasa Mission” covering 16,600 hectares under natural farming and the “Amruta Anna” programme for cultivation of aromatic organic rice for Mahaprasad at the Shree Jagannath Temple.
The government also highlighted its long-term plan to develop one lakh acres of organic high-altitude coffee plantations in Koraput to empower tribal women and strengthen the rural economy.