Bhubaneswar: Mustard cultivation has been revived in four gram panchayats under Simulia block of Balasore district because of the efforts of Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment and the Collector and District Magistrate.
The Gram Panchayats of Maitapur, Bangalpur, Abjhuna and Purushottampur in the southeast of Simulia block were once famous for their golden mustard fields between 2010-2014. Farmers in the area were inspired to grow mustard crops during the Rabi season after the Kharif paddy harvest, and the area was under the jurisdiction of the Salandi Irrigation Project.
However, since 2015, the decline of mustard cultivation began due to the disruption of irrigation in the Rabi season, unfavourable soil moisture caused by changes in the monsoon pattern, and disease such as club root infestation. Despite repeated requests from the Agriculture Department, the Irrigation Department failed to provide sufficient irrigation to the area.
In November 2022, the Collector conducted a joint field visit to Maitapur and the surrounding Gram Panchayats to encourage farmers to grow mustard crops. The local farmers expressed their grievances about the lack of irrigation, which had led to the decline of mustard cultivation in the area.
The Collector assured the farmers that they would receive irrigation water and took immediate steps to instruct the Irrigation Department for the same. The Chief District Agriculture Officer (CDAO) personally contacted the Chief Construction Engineer of the Salandi Irrigation Project at Anandpur in Keonjhar district to inform him of the farmers’ problem.
The Block Officials also met the Assistant Executive Engineer, SIP at Simulia. After constant effort of Departmental officers under guidance of the Collector, the Irrigation Department decided to provide three irrigations to the four gram panchayats.
The Agriculture Department conducted several farmer meetings in the area to motivate the farmers to revive their mustard cultivation. After several rounds of discussion, around 200 farmers took part in a Departmental demonstration of mustard cultivation on 275 acres of land. As a result, around 2600 acres of mustard crops were grown by 1800 farmers in the area, with members of 9 SHGs and 6 FIGs also participating.
On December 24, 2022, a meeting was conducted by Simulia MLA, where 50 progressive farmers and the Sarpanch of the four gram panchayats discussed the Rabi crop coverage with the assurance of irrigation availability. Technical guidance on the use of agricultural inputs and pesticides was provided by the field functionaries.
On December 27, the Collector along with other District level Officers, visited the area and found that the mustard crops were 8-12 days old. The team discussed with the farmers and encouraged them, and the Collector asked the farmers to clean the irrigation channels and provided labour wages from NREGS. They also discussed with the WSHG members about setting up an oil extraction unit in the mustard patch with government subsidies.
As 2600 acres of mustard crops have been grown on average 650 acres per GP, it has been decided to include mustard crops in the “one GP one Product” venture launched by the Collector during 2022-23. Farmers who missed the deadline to sow mustard crops were interested in growing green gram and black gram instead, and 125 acres of these crops have been grown through Departmental demonstration and 25 acres through farmers’ own sources.
Additionally, one WSHG showed interest in setting up a Mini Dal Mill under the subsidised scheme, and all are hopeful for a successful revival of mustard crops and some area under pulse crops, which will inspire other farmers to maximize their income.
