Agriculture and Irrigation in Odisha | Odisha State PSC (OPSC): Preparation - OPSC OCS (Odisha) PDF Download

Introduction

The total cultivable land in the state for cropping is about 36% (2023–24) of the total geographical area. The State experienced transient success in terms of crop area, production, productivity, food security, irrigation during the year, leading to rise in farmers’ income. Agriculture contributes 19% of GSVA (2024–25).
Paddy crop has the largest area under cultivation followed by pulses, oilseeds and fibre crops. Important cash crops include sugarcane, cashew and cotton; jute is grown in limited pockets, while rubber and tea remain niche crops. Shifting cultivation is carried out in various places and are known by different names e.g. Dedhi in Sambalpur, Toila Chasa in Keonjhar, Baru in Ganjam, Haru in Rayagarh etc.

Cropping Seasons in Odisha

Predominantly, there are three cropping seasons across India, and so are in the Odisha. These are as follows:

Kharif Season

This season starts with pre-monsoon rain in the months of June-July when farmers prepare their fields for sowing and on the onset of monsoon, farmers sow Kharif crops. The crops are harvested during September or October. Major Kharif crops of Odisha are paddy, jowar, millets, maize, groundnut, jute, cotton, pulses, etc.

Rabi Season

This season begins in November and ends around April. As no rains take place during these months in most of India, the Rabi crops depend upon the sub-soil moisture and artificial irrigation. Kharif rice remains the mainstay of Odisha’s farm economy; Rabi pulses and oilseeds are expanding but are comparatively smaller. Major Rabi crops of Odisha are wheat, gram and oilseeds.

Zaid Season

Besides the two major cropping seasons mentioned above, there are some short duration crops like moong, urad, watermelon, etc, which are grown in intermediate summer season. This season is called Zaid season.

Major Crops of Odisha

The weather of Odisha favours a lot of crops for cultivation. Among these crops rice, pulses, oilseeds, jute, sugarcane, coconut and turmeric are important crops.
Cash crops like sugarcane, cashew and cotton are also produced; jute is cultivated in limited coastal pockets. District-wise, Cuttack and Balasore ranks second in jute production, Puri ranks high for gram and Mayurbhanj for maize production.

Some of the major crops are as follows:

Rice

• It is confined to the coastal plains, the river valleys and command areas of Hirakud dam on Mahanadi river where alluvial soil is found. It is concentrated in the areas of Cuttack, Sambalpur, Puri, Ganjam, Balasore, Koraput, Keonjhar and Kalahandi. 
• Odisha contributes about 8–9% of India’s rice output (2023–24); the state promotes high-yielding and stress-tolerant varieties through regular releases and demonstrations.
• Rice needs a hot and humid climate. The average temperature required is 25°C and above.

Pulses

• The most important pulses grown in Odisha are gram, tur, arhar. According to the classification, the pulses of Odisha can be broadly divided into Kharif and Rabi crops.
• The Mahanadi delta, the Rushikulya plains, the Hirakud and Badimula regions are favourable for the cultivation of pulses. Production of pulses is basically concentrated in districts like Cuttack, Puri, Kalahandi, Dhenkanal, Balangir and Sambalpur.

Food Grains

• This includes cereals, millets and pulses. Among cereals, the most important crop is rice. It is followed by ragi, maize, wheat, small millets and bajra. 
• All these, except wheat are coarse cereals and belong to hardier crops which are mostly cultivated in the middle mountainous, rolling uplands and plateaus of Odisha.

Oilseeds

• Sesame, groundnut, mustard, castor and linseed are the principal oilseeds grown in Odisha. Oilseeds are categorised as Kharif and Rabi crops. Rabi oilseeds grown as a second crop after the cereals are harvested. Among the oilseeds, groundnut and castor are the hardier crops and are grown in marginal and sub-marginal lands.
• Balasore leads in mustard and Cuttack in groundnut production. Oil palm is also grown in Odisha in the districts of Gajapati, Rayagada, Dhenkanal and Sundergarh district.

Jute

• Jute is raised on a modest area in Odisha, mainly in the coastal plains of Cuttack, Balasore and Puri; India’s leading producers are West Bengal, Assam and Bihar. Rice and jute compete in similar soils and climate.
• It is a Kharif crop and requires warm temperature (30-40°C), 70-90% humidity and 150-200 cm of rainfall. It is grown in the coastal plains of Cuttack, Balasore and Puri districts.

Sugarcane

• It is an important cash crop in Odisha and is grown in well-irrigated areas.
• A considerable amount of sugarcane is cultivated in Cuttack, Sambalpur, Balangir, Kalahandi and Puri districts. It is grown well in temperature between 20°C to 28°C and require 150 cm of rainfall.

Cashew

• It has been planted extensively in the low level latiritic plateaus at the foothills of the Eastern Ghats. Cashewnut is produced in Jeypore in Koraput district, Berhampur and Kandhamal district also. 
• Odisha is among the top cashew-producing states, with large areas in Koraput, Ganjam and Kandhamal; development support is provided through the Odisha State Cashew Development Corporation.

Cotton

• Cotton cultivation has been taken up extensively in Koraput, Balangir and Kalahandi districts where suitable soil and climatic conditions are found.

Tea

• It is concentrated in the areas of Eastern Ghats and the Keonjhar mountainous regions of Phulbani and Koraput. 
• Tea plants need well drained loamy soil, hot and humid temperatures ranging between 25°C to 32°C and rainfall of 150 to 350 cm.

Coffee

• It is concentrated in the forest lands of Eastern Ghats, Koraput, Kalahandi, Malkangiri, Rayagada and Udayagiri and Balliguda areas of Kandhamal district.

Rubber Plantation

• Odisha is a non-traditional area for rubber planations. Inland hill areas of Cuttack, Puri, Ganjam and Dhenkanal districts have agro-climatic conditions suitable for rubber cultivation.
• To protect the degraded hill slopes of Eastern Ghats, rubber planation have been taken up by Rubber Board. Agro-Climate of Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Balasore also have prospects for cultivation of rubber.

Spices

• Turmeric and ginger are the two most prevalent spice crops of Odisha. They are majorly cultivated by tribals. Turmeric is a cash crop grown by Kondha tribe of Kandhamal district and Langi Kondha of Gajapati districts. 
• Odisha’s first Agri-Export Zone was set up in Kandhamal for producing export quality turmeric and ginger.
• Turmeric is also exported f rom Odisha. Other spices produced in the state are black pepper, cinnamon and chillies. Export quality turmeric and ginger are cultivated in Koraput and Phulbani.

Agro-Climatic Zones in Odisha

The climate play a vital role in Odisha’s agricultural economy. The tropical climate of Odisha is characterised by high temperature, high humidity, medium to high rainfall and mild winters. As per the Forest and Environment Department, Government of Odisha, the state has been divided into ten agro-climatic zones on the basis of climate, soil, rainfall and topography. 
These are discussed below:

Horticulture in Odisha

The agro-climatic conditions of Odisha are favourable for the production of different types of vegetables, fruits and spices. Districts like Gajapati, Kandhamal and Keonjhar are engaged in horticultural activity. Among fruits that grow in long duration are mango, coconut, litchi and jackfruit are most favourable in Odisha. Among short duration fruit, banana, papaya and pineapple are grown in Odisha. Banana is widely grown in Puri district. 
Odisha is among the leading vegetable-producing states; brinjal, cabbage and tomato are major vegetables. (Use the latest department figures if quoting exact ranks or hectares.)

Medicinal Plants

Forests in Odisha produce large number of plants that are rich in medicinal value such as Amla, Ashwagandha, Bilva, Brahmi, Chirata, Gudmar, Guggul, Kalmegh, Makoi, Sarpagandha, Bhringraj etc. The Gandhamardan hill range in Baragarh and Balangir are house of many medicinal plants. The state has a medicinal plant garden at Bhubaneswar called Ekamravan which was inaugurated in 2006.

Floriculture in Odisha

The growing demand for flowers in Odisha has resulted in blooming flower markets in the state. 30% of the flowers in the state are grown in Khordha, Berhampur, Rourkela, Jharsuguda, Boudh, Sambalpur and Koraput. Flower crops are grown in open fields or in protective shades of polythene called polyhouse. Earlier, Odisha had to depend on Bangalore, Kolkata and Delhi for supply of flowers. Rose flower cultivation in Odisha has started yielding good results for farmers. Cultivation of Kewra flowers is done in Ganjam district. In Bhubaneswar, many people are engaged in the floral business. Marigold, Lilies, Jasmine, Roses, Orchids and Lotuses are some of the popular flowers grown in Odisha. Cold storage units are provided to farmers for preserving the flowers for a longer duration after harvesting.

Agriculture Policy (SAMRUDHI, 2020)

The current Odisha Agriculture Policy is SAMRUDHI (2020), which focuses on diversification, market linkages, value addition, clusters and allied sectors. The earlier State Agricultural Policies of 2008/2013 are background references. The main objectives include:

• To shift from subsistence to profitable commercial agriculture.
• To encourage crop substitution in uplands/medium lands and promote horticulture, including dry-land horticulture.
• To promote modern and sustainable/organic farming systems.
• To facilitate higher long-term investment (public/private/PPP) on and off farm.
• To encourage contract/compact farming and expand credit access for small and marginal farmers.
• To develop agri-tech parks, horticulture farms and medicinal gardens.

Agri-Export Zones and Food Parks in Odisha

Agri Export Zones are directed for producing export quality agricultural product. Odisha Government is also proposing multiple Agro-Parks with the focus on Agri and Food Processing Sector.

Government Schemes for Agricultural Development

• National Mission on Agriculture Extension and Technology (NMAET) The NMAET is being implemented in the state from 2014-15 by Agricultural Department of Odisha. This includes four sub-missions. They are Sub-Mission on Agriculture Mechanisation (SMAM), Sub-Mission on Agriculture Extension (SMAE), Sub-Mission on Seed and Planting Material (SMSP) and Sub-Mission on Plant Protection and Plant Quarantine (SMPP).
• Oilseeds Missions (Current) Oilseeds development is implemented under NFSM-Oilseeds; oil palm is covered by NMEO-OP (launched 2021). A dedicated NMEO-Oilseeds framework has also been approved nationally (2024) to boost domestic oilseed production.
• National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) It is being implemented in the state from the financial year 2014-15 by Agricultural Department of Odisha. There are four major components under NMSA namely Soil Health Management (SHM), On Farm Water Management (OFWM), Rainfed Area Development (RAD) and Climate Change and Sustainable Agriculture Monitoring Modeling Networking (CCSAMMN).
• Biju Krushaka Kalyan Yojana (BKKY) The BKKY was launched in November, 2013 with the objective of providing health and accidental insurance to all the farm families in the state.
• Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) RKVY is operationalised in Odisha since 2007-08. About 620 projects are being implemented by 24 implementing agencies. National Horticulture Mission (NHM) It is in operation in all 30 districts in the state since 2005-06.24 districts of the state were identified in 4 clusters under National Horticulture Mission for development of 9 major horticultural crops. The selected crops include mango, citrus fruits, litchi and banana, cashew in plantation crops, ginger and turmeric in spices and rose, marigold and gladiolus in floriculture.
• Rajya Beej Evam Krishi Vikas Nigam Limited It is a public company incorporated in 2004. It is involved in growing of crops, market gardening and horticulture. Its objective is the production, procurement, processing and distribution of seeds, development and running of farms, conducting research and development in seed production and processing, installation, management and operation of processing plants.
• Fruit Orchard Development Under this scheme, to encourage farmers to establish fruit orchards on their private holdings, assistance up to 40-50 per cent of cost of cultivation is provided to the farmers. This is part of National Horticulture Mission.

Institutions for Agricultural Development

• Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment The Agriculture Department of Odisha mainly consists of three executive wings namely, Directorate of Agriculture, Directorate of Horticulture, Directorate of Soil Conservation and Watershed Mission. The Directorate of Agriculture is the oldest, which started functioning from 1945 onwards as the Directorate of Development, subsequently renamed as the Directorate of Agriculture and Food Production, Odisha. The other two Directorates got separated in the years 1977 and 1978.
• Odisha State Cashew Development Corporation Limited (OSCDC) It was established in the year 1979 to develop land, raise cashew plantation and other suitable species, render technical guidance and assistance to cashew growers and make available good planting materials.
• Agricultural Promotion and Investment Corporation of Odisha Limited (APICOL) It was established during the year 1996 as a promotional organisation. It is engaged in promotion of commercial agri-enterprises including agro-based and food processing industries in the state.
• It also invests in creation of captive irrigation source in farmers’ fields through establishing shallow tube wells (STWs), bore wells (BWs), dug well and river lift irrigation projects. It releases subsidies under various schemes of State Agriculture Policy 2008 and New Agriculture Policy of 2013. APICOL is acting as the virtual office of Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).
• Odisha Agro Industries Corporation (OAIC) It aims at marketing various agricultural inputs and farm machineries through a wide network of offices at district and sub district levels. It provides inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides, cattle and poultry feeds to farmers.
• Odisha State Seeds Corporation (OSSC) It has been designated as the nodal agency for production, procurement, processing and supply of quality seeds to the farmers of the state. The OSSC has been implementing the Seed Village Programme as Mo Bihana Yojana for production of credited paddy and non-paddy seeds through seed grower under various schemes for taking up production of certified seeds.
• Odisha State Seed and Organic Products Certification Agency (OSSOPCA) It performs its defined activities within six broad phases of certification. It verifies the genetic identity of different crop varieties, high degree of physical purity and germ immunity and absence of other crop seeds, weed seeds and all designated seed borne disease. From 2014, the entire process of seed certification has been made online and implementation of it takes place throughout the state of Odisha.

Irrigation in Odisha

• Odisha plays a significant role in agro-economy of the state. As a major part of Odisha population is dependent on agriculture for their livelihood, significant steps were being taken to strengthen the irrigation system.
• Total irrigation potential created in the state has crossed about 62 lakh hectares (by 2019–20), with continued additions through major, medium and minor projects.
• The state government aims to provide irrigation facilities to at least 35% of cultivable land in every block; utilisation varies by season and project.
• Block-specific claims change over time; current listings of blocks without irrigation and most/least irrigated districts should be cited from the latest official release.

Sources of Irrigation in the State

Wells and tubewells continue to irrigate the largest share of Odisha’s net irrigated area, followed by canals; ponds/tanks and lift irrigation add supplementary coverage. Exact percentages vary across years and districts.

Wells and Tubewells

These are the dominant sources, especially across western districts and upland tracts.

Canals and Ponds

Canal networks contribute substantially, though expansion is capital- and time-intensive; tanks/ponds provide localised, supplementary irrigation.

Irrigation Projects

It has been assessed that around 31 lakh hectares of cultivable land can be brought under irrigation through various projects; creation continues via major/medium schemes and minor (flow/lift) projects.

Several major and medium projects remain in progress, along with minor (flow) projects, to expand command area and stabilise irrigation.

Some major irrigation projects in the state are as follows:

Hirakud Multipurpose Project

The Hirakud Dam Project is a multipurpose major project built across river Mahanadi at about 15.0 km upstream at Sambalpur town in the state of Odisha. This is the first post-Independence major multipurpose river valley project in India. The main dam spans between hills Lamdungri on left and Chandili Dungri on the right. It was inaugurated on 13th January, 1957. Power generation and water supply for irrigation are prime purpose of dam. Hirakud Dam project provides 1,59,106 hectares of Kharif and 1, 08, 385 hectares of Rabi irrigation in the district of Sambalpur, Bargarh, Balangir and Subarnapur.

Upper Indravati Multipurpose Project

This project is located in Kalahandi district. It is part of Godavari and Mahanadi basin. Indravati, Kapur, Podogada and Muran are constituting rivers in this project. This multipurpose scheme comprises of four dams and eight embankments to form an integrated reservoir.

Subarnarekha Multipurpose Project

It’s an ongoing project. It is part of Subarnarekha basin and include Subarnarekha and Kharkai rivers. Chandil Dam, Guludih Barrage and Icha Dam are associated entities of this irrigation project.

Rengali Dam Project

This project benefits Angul, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Keonjhar and Cuttack districts of Odisha. It is part of Brahmani and Baitarani basin. The project is based on Brahmani river.

Other Irrigation Projects of Odisha

Government Initiatives for Irrigation

• Pradhan MantriKrishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) It was launched during 2015-16. It has four major components i.e. Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme, Har Khet Ko Pani, Per Drop More Crop and Watershed Development. Odisha Watershed Development Mission (OWDM) has been designated as State Nodal Agency for PMKSY at state. Preparation of Districts Irrigation Plan (DIP) is mandatory for implementation of PMKSY.
• Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) It was launched in 2009. It is taken up in clusters covering an area of 5,000-6,000 hectares in 26 districts except Puri, Kendrapada, Bhadrak and Jagatsinghpur districts. Six batches of projects in 310 clusters have been sanctioned covering an area of 17.02 lakh hectares. It covers almost the entire state of Odisha.
• Biju Krushak Vikash Yojana (BKVY) This scheme was launched by the State Government in the year 2001 with an objective to revive derelict projects and construction of new minor irrigation projects through people’s participation. As per the scheme, the beneficiaries will contribute 10% of the capital cost of the project in scheduled areas and 20% of the capital cost in non-scheduled areas.
• Odisha Watershed Development Mission This mission was launched on 30th June, 2000. Its objective is to bring about social and economic transformation of the people in the state by creating an enabling environment for development of sustainable natural resources.
• 35 Per cent Irrigation Master Plan To rationalise irrigation development in the state, the government has decided to provide irrigation facilities to atleast 35% of the cultivable land in each block.
• Japan International Cooperation Agency Three major projects namely Upper Indrabati Left Canal System, Upper Kolab Irrigation Project and Rengali Left Bank Canal have been sanctioned under this scheme.
• Odisha Community Tank Management Project Government of Odisha in partnership with the Government of India has initiated the Odisha Community Tank Management Project (OCTMP) to repair and rehabilitate approximately 900 minor irrigation tanks covering 1.20 lakh hectare with funding from the World Bank.
• Pani Panchayat It is set up under Pani Panchayat Act, 2002 and Pani Panchayat Rule 2003. The primary objective of the act is to ensure optimum utilisation of water by farmers for improving agricultural production. This programme has been extended to all the command area under major, medium and minor irrigation sector.
• Odisha State Water Policy On the basis of the National Water Policy, 2002, the State Government have prepared a new Water Policy called Orissa State Water Policy, 2007. It aims at laying down the principles of equitable and judicious use of water for survival of life, welfare of human beings and sustained as well as balanced growth of the state.
• State Irrigation Panchayat and Rules The first Odisha Irrigation Act was enacted in 1959 and the Odisha Irrigation Rules were implemented in 1961. The act is responsible for the construction and management of irrigation works.The Odisha Irrigation rules were amended in 2002 for revision of irrigation systems as well as for crops.