Orissa plans to grow cashew in degraded land

BHUBANESWAR: The state government has decided to grow cashew plantations on 10,000 hectare degraded land and barren hills. The issue was discussed at a meeting where chief minister Naveen Patnaik reviewed the activities of the Orissa Cashew Development Corporation. It was decided that the soil conservation and forest departments will take steps to transfer cashew plantations in nonforest land to the corporation. Besides, steps will be taken to set up cashew processing plants in the joint sector. Trenches will be dug around the cashew plantations for their protection through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). The corporation has cashew plantations running into 30,559 hectares under it. It has 578 plantations in six districts. It was decided that 21 cashew saplings will be planted on 7000 hectare land. Besides, old plantations on 370 hectares will be rejuvenated. The corporation also plants mango and other medicinal plants. Agriculture Minister Pradip Maharathi, chairman of the OCDC Bikram Keshari Burma and senior officials from the agriculture department attended the meeting.