Comprehensive District Annual Plan 2011-12 Balasore District

Comprehensive District Annual Plan 2011-12 Balasore District
Weakness ..contd…
• About 90% of farmers (Small and Marginal farmers: < 2 ha of land) own and operate
only 65% of total cultivated land.
• Small land holding size (Average land holding size is 0.93 ha as against 1.25 ha in
the state). Small land holding size prevents mechanization of farm operations in a
large scale.
• Poor status of farm mechanization.
• Lack of cold storages for preservation of vegetables, flowers etc. during off-season.
• Lack of exclusive market yards for horticulture produces.
• Huge scarcity of field level agricultural staff.
Opportunities
• Strengthening of agriculture extension setup and establishment of soil testing
laboratory and Agro Information Center at Block level will help in increasing
agricultural production.
• Agricultural productivity can be increased through farm mechanization, land
development, developing drainage facilities to save low lying areas from flood
water/water logging.
• Establishment of GP level godowns and full-fledged involvement of PACs in
procurement of paddy will stop distress sale of paddy.
• Establishment of cold storage facilities to prevent distress sale.
• Huge market potential exists in nearby cities namely Dhamra port area, Cuttack,
Bhadrak, Kolkata, Baripada and Jajpur Road (Kaling Nagar)
• Presence of good number of rivers offers lot of scope for installation of LI points on
river banks.
• The district headquarter is well communicated with the above cities by road.
Threats
• Declining interest of people in agricultural and allied activities. Occurrence of natural
calamities and frequent crop loss is a major cause to such a non-remunerative status
of agriculture in the district.
• Because of huge population density (532/sq. km) cultivated land is being converted to
housing purpose on a large scale.
• Frequent flood damages canal and river embankments and affects irrigation.
2.1.4. Animal Husbandry & Dairy Development:
Animal rearing is one of the traditional sources of livelihood of almost all the rural
households of the state. In fact rural households in Orissa rear animals, mainly cattle to
supplement family income. Milk and milk products like cheese, curd and ghee are vital
ingredients of daily diet in rural household. Dung for cooking fuel and manure and draught
power are other utilities which forces almost all rural households to keep cattle in their
houses. In a costal district like Balasore cattle dung is the main source of cooking fuel as
forest coverage is marginal. Natural calamities occur almost every year damaging the crop,
the food source for one year, leaving the rural mass in distress. But the domestic animals
became a boon during such time and serve as a source of livelihood. Hence, for a district
like Balasore, animal husbandry is considered as one of the key economic activity to bring
prosperity to the rural poor.
TSI: NABARD Consultancy Services (NABCONS) 34