Last reviewed 1 Oct 2026 · Facts as of 1 Oct 2026 · 7 min read
Numbers below carry their census year. Where Odisha figures are not firmly known they are described in words and marked (verify) — use the latest Agricultural Census tables or Odisha Agriculture Statistics for an exact answer.
Operational holding
An operational holding is all land used wholly or partly for agricultural production and operated as one technical unit by one person alone or with others, without regard to title, size or location (the Agricultural Census definition). Ownership holding (land owned) differs from the operational holding (land operated, including leased-in land and excluding leased-out land).
Agricultural Census: conducted every five years since 1970–71 (phase I — number and area of holdings by size class, gender, social group, tenure and land use; phase II — details such as cropping pattern, irrigation, tenancy; plus the Input Survey on fertiliser, seeds, machinery and so on).
Size classes of holdings
| Class | Size | Typical share of holdings (national, 2015–16, approximate) |
|---|---|---|
| Marginal | Below 1 ha | About two-thirds of all holdings (about 68 %) |
| Small | 1 to below 2 ha | About 18 % |
| Semi-medium | 2 to below 4 ha | About 10 % |
| Medium | 4 to below 10 ha | About 4 % |
| Large | 10 ha and above | Roughly 0.5 % |
(Marginal + small ≈ 86 % of holdings but only about half of the operated area in 2015–16; the 0.5 % large holdings account for about 9 % of the area — the figures are rounded; verify.)
| Census | Holdings | Operated area | Average size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010–11 | 138.35 million | 159.59 Mha | 1.15 ha |
| 2015–16 | 146.45 million | 157.14 Mha | 1.08 ha |
The number of holdings rose and the average size fell — continuing sub-division and fragmentation of land.
National average holding size fell from 1.15 ha (2010–11) to 1.08 ha (2015–16).
Percentage change over five years, a compound rate of per year. Number of holdings rose by .