Bhubaneswar: To strengthen the agricultural landscape of Odisha, the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment on Thursday signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with four key public sector corporations for the financial year 2025–26. The signing ceremony was held at Lok Seva Bhavan, in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo.
The agreements were signed with the Odisha Agro-Industrial Corporation (OAIC), Odisha Agriculture Promotion and Capital Investment Corporation Limited (APICOL), Odisha State Seed Corporation Limited (OSSC), and Odisha State Cashew Development Corporation Limited (OSCDCL).
Shri Singh Deo felicitated the Managing Directors of OAIC and APICOL for their exemplary performance in the previous fiscal year. Commending the department’s efforts, he noted that the Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment Department has utilized 94.7% of its approved budget, placing it among the top-performing departments in terms of fund utilization.
“All affiliated corporations have shown excellent performance. This momentum of progress must continue. We are fully committed to the welfare and development of our farmers,” said Shri Singh Deo while presenting appreciation letters.
Ambitious Targets for FY 2025-26
Odisha Agro-Industries Corporation (OAIC) has set ambitious targets for the coming year, including:
- Procurement of 45,000 tonnes of fertilizer, organic inputs, and pesticides worth ₹20 crore,
- Distribution of 7,000 tractors, 1,000 power tillers, and other farm machinery,
- Installation of 5,200 electric-powered small lift irrigation projects, 4,800 solar water tank systems, and 1,000 shallow tube wells,
- Construction work worth ₹30 crore,
- An overall turnover target of ₹1,000 crore.
Odisha State Seeds Corporation (OSSC) will focus on enhancing the seed supply chain. The MoU aims to ensure timely delivery of certified seeds and promote seed replacement and varietal improvement through awareness campaigns. The corporation has set a turnover target of ₹56 crore.
APICOL plans to support 6,500 agri-business enterprises with subsidies worth ₹250 crore:
- ₹200 crore will be directed toward the Mukhyamantri Krushi Udyog Yojana (MKUY),
- ₹50 crore for the Cold Storage Support Scheme.
Odisha State Cashew Development Corporation (OSCDCL) will focus on expanding cashew cultivation. Key targets include:
- Replantation of 500 hectares with hybrid cashew varieties,
- Maintenance of over 1,336 hectares of existing plantations,
- Production of 35 lakh hybrid cashew grafts from 20 clonal nurseries.
