NATIONAL CONFERENCE on AGRICULTURE KHARIF CAMPAIGN : 2014 26th & 27th March, 2014 Achievements - Prospects - Strategies - Issues ASSAM

THE WEATHER SCENARIO Rainfall during 2013-14 Season Rainfall (in mm) Departure from Normal Pattern Normal Actual Kharif, 2013 2001.0 1510.4 (-) 25% Deficient Rabi, 2013-14 (till 20h February, 2014) 206.6 150.7 (-) 27% Total : 2207.6 1661.1 Kharif, 2013 : Overall rainfall pattern : Deficient Deficient rainfall : April, June & September Normal rainfall : May, July & August Rabi, 2013-14 (till 20th February, 2014) : Deficient rainfall : November, December, January, February Normal rainfall : October

AREA, PRODUCTION & YIELD OF RABI CROPS ASSESSMENT OF RABI AREA, PRODUCTION & YIELD OF RABI CROPS (Area in lakh ha., Production in lakh MT & Yield in Kg. per ha.) Sl. No. Crop 2012-13 (achievement) 2013-14 (anticipated) Area Production Yield 1. Summer / Boro Rice 3.93 11.64 2965 4.35 13.11 3125 2. Wheat 0.34 0.44 1300 0.36 0.53 1460 3. Rabi Maize 0.09 1008 0.12 0.14 1157 4. Rabi Pulses 1.35 0.86 637 1.64 1.10 671 5. Rabi Foodgrains 5.71 13.03 2281 6.47 14.88 2303 6. Rabi Oilseeds 2.98 1.82 611 3.38 2.17 643 7. Potato 0.95 7.09 7425 1.11 10.55 9500

KHARIF PROSPECT AREA, PRODUCTION & YIELD OF KHARIF CROPS (Area in lakh ha., Production in lakh MT, Yield in Kg. per ha.) Crop Year Area Production Yield Autumn Rice 2013 (anticipated) 1.72 2.60 1539 2014 (target) 2.40 3.70 1570 Winter Rice 19.24 42.15 2223 19.85 44.30 2265 Kharif Pulses 0.32 0.22 710 0.38 0.28 724 Kharif Maize 0.19 0.18 940 0.27 955 Kharif Oilseeds 0.08 0.06 796 0.09 0.07 812

KHARIF PROSPECT AREA, PRODUCTION & YIELD OF KHARIF CROPS (Area in lakh ha., Production in lakh MT, Yield in Kg. per ha.) Crop Year Area Production Yield Jute 2013 (anticipated) 0.76 1.58 2080 2014 (target) 0.85 1.87 2200 Sugarcane 0.28 11.86 42360 0.35 15.12 43205 Area covered during 2013 is as per Weekly Crop Weather Watch Report received from districts. Yield of Autumn Paddy is based on crop cutting experiments conducted by DES. Results of 696 nos. experiments have been received so far. Yield of Winter Paddy is based on crop cutting experiments of conducted by DES. Results of 1202 nos. experiments have been received so far.

Additional Production Additional area coverage & production during Rabi, 2013-14 Crop Additional area Additional Production Summer / Boro Rice 0.42 lakh ha. 1.47 lakh MT Rabi Pulses 0.29 lakh ha. 0.24 lakh MT Rabi Foodgrains 0.76 lakh ha. 1.85 lakh MT Rabi Oilseeds 0.40 lakh ha. 0.35 lakh MT Additional area & production targeted during Kharif, 2014 Crop Additional area Additional Production Rice 1.29 lakh ha. 3.25 lakh MT Foodgrains 1.44 lakh ha. 3.40 lakh MT Jute 0.09 lakh ha. 0.29 lakh ha. Sugarcane 0.07 lakh ha. 3.26 lakh ha.

STRATEGY for KHARIF, 2014 More focus on Rice. Additional production of 3.25 lakh MT of Kharif Rice is targeted through increase of 1.29 lakh ha. Expansion of area under HYV and Hybrid Rice. At present 63% and 1.5% area of Kharif Rice is covered under HYV and Hybrid respectively. Extensive coverage of traditional flood prone area through resistant varieties like Swarna Sub-1 and other SAU approved varieties. Proper time of sowing and early maturing Rice varieties will be encouraged to allow farmers to go for double cropping in these areas mainly with Potato & Mustard. Emphasis on additional area coverage under Kharif Pulse & Oilseeds with increased productivity. Kharif Maize cultivation in some potential cultivation pockets mainly in hilly tracts will be encouraged with necessary seed replacement. At present only 0.19 lakh hectares is under the crop with 12% SRR.

STRATEGY for KHARIF, 2014 Requirement of quality Paddy and Blackgram seeds during Kharif, 2014 will be met from State’s own production. Programme has been chalked out to procure seeds of other crops from outside sources. Horizontal expansion of Jute & Sugarcane is very limited. Therefore, emphasis will be given to increase productivity through distribution of suitable quality seeds / planting materials. Community nurseries will provide requirement of Paddy seedlings in the event of occurrence of flood. Farmers of flood prone areas are being motivated for community nurseries. Ensuring availability & pre stocking of fertilisers with companies / dealers. Regular monitoring with railways and tying up with companies / dealers. Full utilization of operational pump sets in the event of insufficient rainfall, particularly during Sali Paddy cultivation.

STRATEGY for KHARIF, 2014 Pathar Parichalana Samities (PPS) have been geared up for field based planning to increase production & productivity. More than 25,000 PPSs have been formed so far. Hand holding of farmers for easy access to credit through KCC. Also, arrangement made to provide bank loan to needy farmers to facilitate payment of their share for purchase of agricultural machineries.

ISSUES & SUGGESTIONS Top most priority goes to IRRIGATION to cover vast low and medium productive land under irrigated ecology. Increased utilization of under exploited groundwater resources to increase productivity requires increased financial outlays. As the State Government has limited resources to invest, greater assistance from Govt. of India would be of great help. SEED is the most critical input for our farmers. The limit of subsidy, particularly for Paddy seeds is very low ( Rs. 500.00 per quintal for HYV & Rs. 2000.00 per quintal for Hybrid). It is very difficult on the part of poor small & marginal farmers (more than 85%) of the State to share the balance cost of seeds. So, subsidy on distribution to farmers under various GOI sponsored schemes needs to be enhanced. In order to sustain higher productivity SOIL HEALTH MANAGEMENT is to be given due priority. Renewable source of plant nutrition / soil fertility be promoted in a big way.

ISSUES & SUGGESTIONS As regard availability of FARM CREDIT, the State is lagging behind considerably, only 37% farm families are benefited by Kisan Credit Card (KCC). The banks, commercial banks in particular are reluctant to extend credit to the small & marginal farmers who need the facility the most. Therefore, the Ministry of Finance has to motivate the banks to come forward and provide adequate farm credit. MARKET ACCESS for farmers of Assam, particularly for those of remote areas, is very difficult. It is felt that the APMC Act in its revised form can not meet the need of the farmers due to very limited private sector investment. Government may adopt DOT (Develop it, make it Operational and Transfer the ownership under terms & conditions) approach in this regard. Broad base agriculture comprising Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Horticulture, Fishery, Agro-Forestry, Bee-keeping etc. is needed to withstand the challenges of CLIMATIC CHANGES. The bari system (comprising agriculture & allied sectors) traditionally adopted by the farmers needs to be improved with application of modern farmers friendly technologies so that it can supplement the income of farmers.

Contingency Plan for Disaster Management (2014-15) A. Flood : No. of phases Probable period of occurrence Proposed strategy 1st Phase Mid April to June Sowing of flood tolerant Paddy varieties in chronically flood prone pockets. Buffer stocking of Paddy seed for raising seedling in the event of flood. Awareness 2nd Phase July to Mid August Raising of Paddy seedlings in community nurseries, Govt. farms, community land & farmers field (high land) etc. Distribution of seedlings available at farmers level to needy farmers. Distribution of direct seeded short duration paddy variety 3rd Phase Mid August to September Tractorization for Rabi crops. Distribution of Rabi seed and summer paddy seed.

Contingency Plan for Disaster Management (2014-15) B. Drought : Drought tolerant Paddy varieties to be grown in rain shadow / chronically drought prone areas. Seeds of loacally available varieties like Dehangi, Dechang, Kalang to be arranged in consultation with AAU. Arrangement of life saving irrigation. (Diesel subsidy to Small & marginal farmers, placing of existing mobile pump sets, encouraging farmers to conserve run-off in pre-monsoon rain (April- May) in existing water harvesting structures) Special Rabi Programme for drought affected farmers to compensate loss.

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