According to the latest Odisha Economic Survey report, the agriculture sector will grow at a much faster rate than India (3.5%) in 2022-23. (2022-23). In 2022-23, all agricultural sub-sectors grew at a rapid pace compared to the previous year. The crop sub-sector grew by 5.4% in 2022-23, compared to -1.6% in 2021-22.
The combined impact of drought, unseasonal rain, and Cyclone Jawad during the Kharif harvesting season resulted in crop sector contraction in 2021-22. The forestry and logging sub-sector experienced a 5.5% growth rate in 2022-23 (AE), compared to a 1.8% growth rate in 2021-22. According to the report, livestock and fishery subsectors are expected to grow by 2.4 percent and 13.3 percent, respectively, in 2022-23 over the previous year.
In 2021-22, the State's net sown area was 54.1 lakh hectares, accounting for 35% of total geographical area. It has risen by 1.5% since the previous year. Fallow lands, which include both current and previous fallows, accounted for 6% of total land in the state. The total gross cropped area, which represents the total area sown once or more, increased marginally (0.3%) over the previous year in 2021-22.
The total gross cropped area in the state in 2021-22 was approximately 85.6 lakh hectares. Cropping intensity has increased in the state from 150 in 2015-16 to 158 in 2021-22. This could be due to improved irrigation facilities and government-led efforts to promote multiple sowing and crop diversification. Approximately 93% of total holdings in the state are held by marginal and small farmers.
Cereals are the most important crops in Odisha, accounting for approximately 51.6 percent of total gross cropped area in 2021-22. Paddy is the most important cereal crop grown in the state. Cropping patterns in the state have evolved over time. Because of the State's promotion of millet mission and crop diversification measures, the gross cropped area under non-paddy cereals increased by 7.56 percent in 2021-22 over the previous year, while the cropped area under paddy decreased by 1.5 percent in the same period.
Oilseeds have increased their share of total crop area to 6.6% in 2021-22, up from 6.2 percent in 2020-21. The increasing share of 'other crops' indicates an increase in the area under high-value crops such as cotton, other fibres, spices, flowers, and so on. Over the previous year, the area under spices and flowers increased by 3.09% and 2.67%, respectively, in 2021-22. In 2021-22, pulses accounted for 22.3% of total gross cropped area.
Odisha produced 92.91 lakh Metric Tons of rice in 2021-22. The report concluded that maize production increased by about 4.5 percent in 2021-22 over the previous year, and there is a significant increase in production of other cereals (about 12.54 percent), reflecting the state's effort to promote millets (including Ragi and non-Ragi) cultivation in the state.
