Odisha Gears Up for Cyclone Dana: Agriculture Department Prepares to Safeguard Farmers and Crops

Bhubaneswar: With Cyclone Dana expected to impact the Odisha coast between October 23 and 25, an emergency pre-cyclone meeting was convened under the leadership of Deputy Chief Minister for Agriculture & FE, Energy, Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, on October 20. The meeting, held virtually from the Board Room of Krushi Bhawan, aimed at coordinating preparedness efforts across all Chief District Agriculture Officers (CDAOs) to mitigate the potential effects of the cyclone on Odisha’s agricultural sector.

Singh Deo emphasized the importance of remaining calm while preparing for the challenges ahead. He instructed all officers to cancel any planned leave, ensure that their phones are operational 24/7, and activate control rooms at both CDAO offices and Krushi Bhawan during this emergency period.

Principal Secretary of the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment (DAFE), Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee, highlighted several key preparedness measures, including the dissemination of Crop Management Advisories to farmers, particularly those in coastal districts, through the Krushi Samrudhi Helpline and social media platforms. The department also has a crop contingency plan in place and has ensured seed reserves are ready to support farmers post-cyclone.

Director of Agriculture & Food Production, Premchandra Choudhary, provided an update on the current crop situation. Harvesting of extra-early paddy, covering 3.20 lakh hectares, is mostly complete, while medium-duration paddy is in the panicle initiation and flowering stages. Late-duration paddy is in the panicle initiation stage, and other major crops like maize and ragi are at the harvesting stage. Cotton crops are at the boll formation stage, and the raising of seedlings for Rabi vegetables has already begun.

CDAOs from coastal districts confirmed that local Collectors have held preparatory meetings, and crop advisories have been disseminated to farmers. All officers remain on high alert, ready to respond to any exigencies.

The Agriculture Department’s proactive approach aims to minimize the cyclone’s impact on farmers and ensure crop protection across Odisha during this critical period.