Orissa Agriculture

Orissa Agriculture is the major contributor to the state's economy. Agriculture is the chief occupation in Orissa. About 76% of the total working population is engaged with agriculture and agriculture related industries. The total cropped area in Orissa is 87,46,000 Hectares and out of that 18,79,000 Hectares are under irrigation.

Orissa is one of the largest producers of rice in India. The state grows almost one tenth of the total rice production of the country. Favorable climate and presence of rich soils accounts for the flourishing agriculture of Orissa. The main crops cultivated in the state are:

Rice

Jute

Oil seeds

Pulses

Coconut

Mesta

Sugarcane

• tea
• Rubber
• Cotton
• Gram
• Mustard
• Maize
• Sesame
• Ragi
• Potato
• Soybean

The principal problem that Orissa agriculture faces is the shortage of water in many areas. Lack of irrigation facilities in these drought prone areas create great obstacles to the agriculture. Flood and low per Hectare production are other agricultural problems of the state.

The Agricultural Department of the Orissa Government and its three wings - Directorate of Horticulture, Directorate of Agriculture, Directorate of Soil Conservation and Watershed Mission is working hard to find solutions of these hindrances. Some of the major agricultural hubs in Orissa are:

• Cuttack
• Dhenkanal
• Baleshwar
• Sambalpur