Ninth Five Year Plan (1997-2002) Draft Vol.-I Government of Orissa

Abstract

One of the important settings of the development process is provided by the natural resource base of the economy. The resource endowments determine in a significant way the long run potential for the growth of the economy. The State of Orissa has been the storehouse of extremely valuable natural resources of fertile land, extensive forests, abundant water, massive mineral reserves and a long coast line. The state has the distinctive advantages found in the plain, hill and plateau geographical regions. The whole State has been divided into ten agroclimatic zones where red, black, yellow, laterite, alluvial and loamy soils with light and medium textures are found. The maximum and minimum temperature varies from 44°C. in May to 3°C. in December. The relative humidity ranges from 89% in July-August to 36% in March- April. The average annual rainfall is above 140 cms with 73 normal number of rainy days in a year, out of which 55 days of rainfall occur during the five months from May to September.