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ODISHA

Geographic position and climate

The state of Odisha lies in the sub- tropical belt in the eastern region of India between17°47' to 22° 33'
north latitude and 81° 21'to 87°30' east longitude, having a long coast line of 480 kilometers with the
Bay of Bengal. It is the tenth largest state in India covering an area of 15.5mha. Odisha is divided into
ten agro climatic zones depending upon the soil types, topography, rainfall and cropping pattern. The
total cultivated land of the state is 61.8 lakh ha out of which 29.1 lakh ha (47%) is high land 17.5 lakh
ha is (28%) medium land and 15.1 lakh ha (25%) low land. About 34% of cultivated land is irrigated.
Majority of the farmers are small and marginal and have limited access to resources. The climate of
the state is characterized by high temperature and medium rainfall. The average annual rainfall of the
state is 1498 mm. Mean annual temperature of the state is 26.2°C. Mean summer temperature from
o
April to June is 30.3 C and mean winter temperature from December to February is 21.3 °C. The
climate may be classified under hot moist sub-humid and hot dry sub-humid. Odisha is primarily an
agrarian economy having nearly 30% contribution to the net state domestic product (NSDP) with 73%
of the work force engaged in this sector. The cropped area is about 87.4 lakh hectares out of which
18.7 lakh hectares are irrigated. Climate and soil play a vital role in Odisha's agriculture economy.

Soils

The soils of Odisha have been divided in to 8 broad soil groups. Taxonomically these 8 broad groups
of soil come under 4 orders, 10 suborders and 18 great groups. Out of the 4 orders Inceptisols
constitute 49%, Alfisols 35%, Entisols 10% and Vertisols 6% of the state. Each soil group is
associated with specific problems and prospects for higher agriculture production. Soil types range
from fertile alluvial deltaic soils in coastal plains, mixed red and black soils in central tableland, red
and yellow soils with low fertility in northern plateau to red, black & brown forest soils in eastern ghat
region. They differ widely from highly acidic to slightly alkaline and from light sandy to heavy clays.
Soils are mainly acidic with the degree of acidity varying widely. Further, about 2.54lakh ha is
exposed to saline inundation, 3.54 lakh ha to flooding and 0.75 lakh ha to waterlogging, particularly in
the deltaic areas.

The average soil test values of the 30 districts of Odisha revealed that 69% soils of Odisha are
acidic,6% saline and 25% neutral in reaction. Organic carbon status of the soils indicated that 60% of
soils are medium and 40% soils are low.With respect to available phosphorus status, 73% soils are
medium and 27% soils are low. Available potassium status of Odisha soils indicated that 7% soils are
low,86% medium and 7% are high status. Highest deficiency of B to the extent of 50% was recorded
followed by sulphur to the extent of 36% and zinc to the extent of 26%.Multi-nutrient deficiency to the
extent of 6.5-52% for S+B,2.13-54.2% for S+Zn was observed. Deficiencies of S, B, Zn, Mo are
common whereas Fe, Mn and Cu are at sufficient level.