Bhubaneswar: The Potato Mission undertaken by the state government has not been a failure, informed Odisha Agriculture minister, Pradeep Maharathy during discussion in the State Assembly today.
Maharathy informed the House that as compared to 2014, 59% more land has been brought under potato cultivation in 2015, stating further that as per estimates, potato production is likely to increase 20% this year.
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“Potato mission has not failed. With cooperation from farmers of the state, the total cultivated land continues to increase. In 2014-15, potato was cultivated in 15,805 hectare land and it increased to 25,123 hectare. Last year potato production increased but it could not be sold at the optimum price. If the weather is conducive next year and the land maintains fertility level, then we will make arrangement provisions for production of potato seeds” says Maharathy.