Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Minister Pradeep Maharathy on Tuesday said the State Government has decided to set up a certified seed processing plant at Bhawanipatna in Kalahandi district to make the State self-sufficient in quality seeds.
Maharathy who reached here after making a two-day on-the-spot study of the crop damages due to untimely rains in Nuapada and Kalahandi districts told mediapersons that the seed processing plant would be set up this year and would start functioning by next Rabi season.
Stating that the State produces only five lakh tonnes of seeds against the requirement of six lakh tonnes of seeds, Maharathy said the step would help in meeting the demand of certified seed by the farmers and stop the dependence on other States.
He said the plant would not only provide quality paddy seeds to the farmers but also meet the requirement of seeds for other crops in the State.
Stating that vegetables cultivated in river bed were worst affected in the recent rains, the Minister said the Revenue Department has been asked to assess the damages and submit a report to the Government at the earliest so as to provide farmers required packages including agriculture input subsidy.
Maharathy asserted that the farmers affected by the recent untimely rains would be provided seeds and fertilizers to undertake Kahrif crops.
Replying to another question, Maharathy said that Government would scrap the license of OPELFED owners violating the agreement and using the stalls as hotels and other purposes.
Stating that there are 66 licensed OPELFED shops in Bhubaneswar, 12 in Cuttack and 10 in Puri town, he said that majority of the shops were being used as hotels and mega fast food centres.
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