Assam eyes bumper paddy yield

Assam had in the kharif season last year produced around 38.58 lakh metric tonnes of Sali paddy. If the rainfall — currently at a minus 26 per cent deficit — improves in the next three to four weeks,the state is keen to take up its Sali paddy output to 39.90 lakh metric tonnes,a record by itself.

“While we are very optimistic at the government level,the farmers are also happy that the rain has been evenly spread. Some districts like Golaghat,which falls under the rain-shadow area,have received excessive rainfall,adding to the farmers’ delight,” minister Deka said.

While Golaghat has received excessive rainfall,eight districts — Cachar,Jorhat,Sivasagar,Karbi Anglong,Lakhimpur,Morigaon,Nagaon and Sonitpur — have already received normal rainfall so far. “Fifteen districts are still in deficit,but of those,only three or four are part of the state’s known granaries,” the minister pointed out.

Sali alone comprises more than 75 per cent of the state’s total output. Last year,for instance,of the state’s total paddy output of 50.86 lakh metric tonnes,Sali constituted 38.58 lakh metric tonnes,the remaining being 8.72 lakh metric tonnes of Boro and 3.56 lakh metric tonnes of Ahu paddy. The bumper yield was despite a widespread hailstorm destroying a sizeable quantity of Boro crop during 2010.

“Damage to some Boro crop in hailstorm notwithstanding,we had a very good and timely rainfall during 2010-11,which in turn gave us a good harvest,” an official in the state agriculture department said.

In Assam,rains are normally expected to begin in mid-April and continue till June. Given such a situation,farmers start transplanting the Sali seedlings from June onwards,with some even making an early start from mid-May. This year,however,rains have been deficit,with the IMD report putting it at minus 57 per cent in April,minus 26 per cent in May,minus 37 per cent in June and minus 26 per cent in July. “A deficit up to minus 19 per cent,however,is counted as ‘normal’ as far as agriculture,and more particularly,paddy is concerned,” the official said.

Award for Assam

Assam has been ranked first for performance in rice production amongst all states in Category II (states which produce foodgrains in the range of one million to ten million metric tonnes) with a score of 93 points out of 100,entitling it for an award of Rs one crore. The state was also adjudged topper for best performance in producing foodgrains amongst the Category II states,again scoring 93 out of 100,thus becoming entitled to award of Rs 2 crore. But,since the policy permits only one award to one state,Assam was selected for the award of Rs 2 crore for overall production of foodgrains.

The award was given away to Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on July 16. The list of category II states includes Orissa,Tamil Nadu,Gujarat,Chhattisgarh,Jharkhand,Uttarakhand,Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh besides Assam. While Category II states are the states which produce foodgrains in the range of one million to 10 million MT,Category I states are those that produce more than 10 MT. Category III states produce less than 1 MT.

Sali Acreage

Target: To bring 19.30 lakh hectares of land under Sali

Last year: 72,000 hectares less

So far: Seedlings transplanted on 16.73 lakh hectares

Its Yield

* Last kharif season: 38.58 lakh metric tonnes

* This year’s target: 39.90 lakh metric tonnes — a record