NATIONAL CONFERENCE on AGRICULTURE

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NATIONAL CONFERENCE on AGRICULTURE KHARIF
CAMPAIGN 2014 26th 27th March, 2014
Achievements - Prospects - Strategies - Issues
ASSAM
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THE WEATHER SCENARIO Rainfall during 2013-14
Season Rainfall (in mm) Rainfall (in mm) Departure from Normal Pattern
Season Normal Actual Departure from Normal Pattern
Kharif, 2013 2001.0 1510.4 (-) 25 Deficient
Rabi, 2013-14 (till 20h February, 2014) 206.6 150.7 (-) 27 Deficient
Total 2207.6 1661.1 (-) 25 Deficient

• Kharif, 2013
• Overall rainfall pattern Deficient
• Deficient rainfall April, June September
• Normal rainfall May, July August
• Rabi, 2013-14 (till 20th February, 2014)
• Overall rainfall pattern Deficient
• Deficient rainfall November, December,
  January, February
• Normal rainfall October

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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) 2012-13 (achievement) 2012-13 (achievement) 2013-14 (anticipated) 2013-14 (anticipated) 2013-14 (anticipated)
Sl. No. Crop Area Production Yield 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 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
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KHARIF PROSPECT AREA, PRODUCTION YIELD OF
KHARIF CROPS
(Area in lakh ha., Production in lakh MT, Yield in Kg. per ha.) (Area in lakh ha., Production in lakh MT, Yield in Kg. per ha.) (Area in lakh ha., Production in lakh MT, Yield in Kg. per ha.) (Area in lakh ha., Production in lakh MT, Yield in Kg. per ha.) (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
Autumn Rice 2014 (target) 2.40 3.70 1570
Winter Rice 2013 (anticipated) 19.24 42.15 2223
Winter Rice 2014 (target) 19.85 44.30 2265
Kharif Pulses 2013 (anticipated) 0.32 0.22 710
Kharif Pulses 2014 (target) 0.38 0.28 724
Kharif Maize 2013 (anticipated) 0.19 0.18 940
Kharif Maize 2014 (target) 0.28 0.27 955
Kharif Oilseeds 2013 (anticipated) 0.08 0.06 796
Kharif Oilseeds 2014 (target) 0.09 0.07 812
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KHARIF PROSPECT AREA, PRODUCTION YIELD OF
KHARIF CROPS
(Area in lakh ha., Production in lakh MT, Yield in Kg. per ha.) (Area in lakh ha., Production in lakh MT, Yield in Kg. per ha.) (Area in lakh ha., Production in lakh MT, Yield in Kg. per ha.) (Area in lakh ha., Production in lakh MT, Yield in Kg. per ha.) (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
Jute 2014 (target) 0.85 1.87 2200
Sugarcane 2013 (anticipated) 0.28 11.86 42360
Sugarcane 2014 (target) 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.

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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.
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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.

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STRATEGY for KHARIF, 2014

• Requirement of quality Paddy and Blackgram seeds
  during Kharif, 2014 will be met from States 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.
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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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Thank You