The State government gave significantly less information to the Assembly regarding the annual requirement of vital goods than what was actually consumed.
An abundance Even though Odisha produces a lot of food grains, particularly paddy, it still depends significantly on other states for basic goods. The State government gave significantly less information to the Assembly regarding the annual requirement of vital goods than what was actually consumed.
According to the National Sample Survey Organization’s (NSSO) 68th round survey, the State’s annual pulse production that fiscal year was 10.43 lakh tonne, compared to the State’s annual pulse consumption of 2.95 lakh tonne. Based on the estimated population of Odisha in 2021, the assessment was performed.
The Odisha Byabasayee Mahasangha presents an opposing viewpoint. The usual amount of pulses needed by the State, according to Sudhakar Panda, secretary general of the trade association, is roughly 9 lakh tonnes, with the majority coming from states like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.
The NSSO estimated that 2.59 lakh tonnes of edible oil were needed annually. According to information provided by the Directorates of Agriculture and Horticulture, the State produced 4.79 lakh tonnes of oilseeds in 2020–21.
Panda estimates that Odisha needs between 6 and 6.5 lakh tonnes of edible oil annually. The State produces very little edible oil, thus all of its needs are satisfied by sources from other states, including Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and sources that import palmolein oils.
The assessment and actual requirement in the State differ greatly when it comes to sugar. Although the State administration said that 2.24 lakh tonne of sugar was needed annually, the real consumption is more than 10 lakh tonne.
The state produces between 10,000 and 15,000 tonnes of sugar, but all the sugar mills in Odisha are sick. According to Panda, the only operating sugar mill at Aska in the Ganjam district is operating at a very low capacity and is in danger of shutting down.
The State Government estimates that 13.25 lakh tonnes of potatoes are needed annually. The State produced 2.96 lakh tonnes of tubers, according to the Horticulture Directorate.
According to the traders’ group, only 70,000–80,000 tonnes of the state’s production reached the market, with the remaining tonnes being eaten by the producer. If true, the State will be purchasing more than 12 lakh tonnes of potatoes from West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, it was further said.
Prasanta Patnaik 
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