Skip to content Skip to navigation

Mission Double Cropping Launched In Assam

By Mowsam Hazarika |


Under the ambitious Mission Double Cropping that seeks to extend multiple cropping to over two lakh hectares of mono-cropping land within the current rabi session, the State Government today formally launched the distribution process of seeds and fertilizers across the 26 districts.A total of 66,548 quintals of potato seed and 4,000 quintals of mustard seed are being distributed under the project besides bringing under vegetable cultivation an area of 60,000 hectares. This is expected to result in an additional yield of over 118 lakh quintals by the end of the current rabi season.As of now, only 42 per cent (11.88 lakh hectares) of the State’s cropland (28.10 lakh hectares) witness double-cropping, with the rest of the area (16.22 lakh hectares) restricted to single-cropping.


Formally launching the distribution process, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi stressed the need for boosting both productivity and yield for attaining self-sufficiency in agriculture. Gogoi instructed the Agriculture Department to ensure timely distribution of the seeds so that the project served its purpose.


The Chief Minister, while acknowledging that the farmers were not getting adequate remuneration for their produce, said that the Government was contemplating a mechanism to give the farmers their due.“We are seriously assessing the problem…steps like facilitating purchase through FCI, construction of sufficient godowns and cold storages will help ease the situation,” he said, adding that the Government was also mooting a council for addressing the problems of small and marginal agriculturalists.


Dr KM Buzarbaruah, Vice Chancellor of Assam Agricultural University (AAU) said that it was time the State moved to multiple-cropping in a big way. “Lots of excuses are there to persist with mono-cropping but scientific solutions are there and the farmers should also come forward to avail those,” he said.


Agriculture Minister Nilamani Sen Deka, while asserting that the double-cropping mission would generate yield worth Rs 900 crore and benefit three lakh beneficiaries, said that the next target was to extend multiple-cropping to another 7-10 lakh hectares.“Opportunities abound in the agriculture sector, and I urge the youth to take up farming. Small land-holders should also opt for collective farming as it has many advantages,” he said, adding that the Government was implementing a number of schemes which the farmers should avail.


Chief Minister’s Agriculture Adviser Dr Bhumidhar Barman expressed concern over diminishing agricultural land due to flood and erosion besides conversion to other residential and industrial uses. He said that the Government should make the necessary interventions to ensure proper remuneration to the toiling farmers.


Social Welfare Minister and local MLA Akon Bora said that the Government should address the mounting concerns like lack of storage and market linkage for the farmers.


A number of officials and scientists of the Agriculture Department and AAU attended the function.



Comments

pkdas's picture

Submitted by pkdas on Wed, 07/12/2011 - 19:40
Mechanization besides irrigation is a pre-requisite for double cropping. Suitable & selective mechanization will go a long way in reaching the goal.

Pages

Add new comment

Random Stories

Historical Drama “ Bagh Hazarika” will be staged at Nazira

10 Feb 2012 - 5:53pm | editor
The “Ramdhenu” group of Hahsora-Sivasagar will staged the historical drama, “Bagh Hazarika” based on Saraighat war on 11 February at Nazira Natya Mandir. The drama is written...

AAKRSU bandh total

5 Feb 2014 - 10:08am | AT News
Normal life came to grinding halt in the Koch Rajbanshi dominated areas in the lower Assam districts following the 24 hour statewide bandh demanding SC status.Called by the All Assam Koch Rajbanshi...

Centre blames external element in riot

7 Aug 2012 - 4:05am | editor
The Centre on Monday blamed external elements in the ethnic clashes in BTAD areas and Dhubri areas where almost 60 were killed. Dispur is also likely to hand over the probe into the recent violence...

EMFA reiterates scribes’ safety demand

4 Jun 2015 - 12:41pm | AT News
Electronic Media Forum Assam (EMFA) has reiterated its old demand for a special law to protect the media persons on duty across the country. The television media forum argued that the scribes, both...

Other Contents by Author

World Honey Bee Day on Saturday

The Assam Directorate of Horticulture & Food Processing, Assam has decided to celebrate the World Honey Bee Day , in collaboration with Salt Range Private Limited, Guwahati on Saturday at Momai Tamuli Barbarua Training Hall, Khanapara, Guwahati.  The event is being organized under  Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan States(HMNEH). Atul Bora, Minister of Agriculture, Assam will inaugurate the programme in the morning.  Several bee keepers will attend in the programme. There will be Technical Session and Interaction Session for the benefit of bee keepers.   In this connection, a Training of Bee Keeper will also organised at...

DD live program on present agricultural practices on Aug 2

Doordarshan Kendra, Guwahati will telecast a live Phone - in - Programme about present agricultural practices in context with recent flood affected fields in Assamese, on 2nd August , 2017 from 5.30pm to 6.00pm in the 'Krishi Darshan' Programme . Dr.Kishore Kr. Sharma, Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Assam Agricultural University and Mowsam Hazarika Assistant Director of Agriculture, Directorate of Agriculture, Assam will take part in the discussion and interact with the farmers.

Seed Village Programme in the state

In an effort to supply quality seeds to the farmers, the Assam State Seed Certification Agency (ASSCA) mooted a Seed Village Programme across 19 districts. According to reports, the agency is also looking to increase by more than double and reach a figure of Rs one crore during this financial year which will boost seed production, certification as well as procurement through joint efforts by the ASSCA and the Assam Seed Corporation (ASC). “For 2017-18, we have taken up winter paddy seed production through Seed Village Programme in 19 districts. A total of 2,420 hectares of agricultural land and 7,260 farmers have been brought under the programme,” Ananda Karmakar, Managing Director of...

Massive seed scheme fetching huge hope

Good news on Assam’s agriculture front. Dozens of varieties of winter paddy ( Sali Paddy ) seeds produced by registered Seed Growers,certified by Assam State Seed Certification Agency (ASSCA) are set to yield encouraging results. Procured by authorised Seed Dealers distributed or sold among farmers giving multifolds benefit to: Producers, Buyers, Farmers, State's Income and ASSCA's revenue earning too. ASSCA's revenue earning is at increasing trend: 2015-16 =Rs.25,84,067, 2016-17=Rs.44,38,192.  Strategies have been formulated in order to boost up more Seed production, Certification and Procurement through joint efforts of ASSCA and Assam Seed Corporation (ASC).  "There is no...

Boost for wild crop harvesting

The Centre has launched a centrally sponsored Scheme in the north eastern region to boost the wild crop harvesting in thr country where Assam will reap rich harvest. Named as Mission Organic Value Chain Development, the scheme is expected to develop crop commodity specific organic value chain and address gaps in organic crop production. Apart from it, the mission aims at giving a boost to the organic livestock management, processing handling and marketing of organic agricultural products through the developing crop specific organic production clusters with necessary infrastructural. Technical and financial support by facilitating partnerships between farmers and organic businesses is...

New venture promotes organic farming in the NE

Shillong-based Zizira, which is engaged in the area of natural food products, is looking to open markets in a way that will benefit the farmers of north-eastern region. “Agencies and the Government institutions help farmers with schemes, research and improved technological models, but they do not typically open markets. The farmers simply want to sell and make money. This is where Zizira comes in. Zizira is striving towards a successful business to sell products to the metro cities across India,” Ibansara Shullai, Coordinator of Zizira, told . She added, “Farmers sell the crops in the local markets or to middlemen at lower prices. We are working towards changing this concept.” “Currently...

Wild crop harvesting boost

The Centre has launched a centrally sponsored Scheme named as Mission Organic Value Chain Development for the North Eastern states during to develop crop commodity specific organic value chain and address gaps in organic crop production. It further aims at wild crop harvesting, organic livestock management and processing handling and marketing of organic agricultural products through the developing crop specific organic production clusters with necessary infrastructural, technical and financial support by facilitating partnerships between farmers and organic businesses. This includes Local enterprises and / or Farmer Producer Companies based on back-to-back long-term trade relations with...

Boost for farming fraternity

The Union Cabinet has approved the Interest Subvention Scheme (ISS) for farmers for the year 2017-18 to help farmers get short term crop loan up to Rs. 3 lakh payable within one year at only 4% per annum. The Government has earmarked a sum of Rs. 20,339 crore for this purpose. The interest subvention will be given to Public Sector Banks (PSBs), Private Sector Banks, Cooperative Banks and Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) on use of own funds and to NABARD for refinance to RRBs and Cooperative Banks. The Interest Subvention Scheme will continue for one year and it will be implemented by NABARD and RBI. The objective of the scheme is to make available at ground level, agricultural credit for...

New huge cropping hopes

Crijaf Sona, a microbial formulation powder used for retting jute fibres, was launched in Guwahati on Monday. The microbial formulation, developed by the Central Research Institute for Jute and Allied Fibres (CRIJAF), under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, is expected to increase the income of farmers. Nearly 80,000 farmers are engaged in jute cultivation in Assam and the annual production of jute fibre is 1.3 lakh tonnes.Retting is the process of extracting fibre from a plant's stem and one way of doing so is the use of micro-organisms and moisture. Water or microbial retting is an old but the most popular process in extracting fine bast fibres. Jute stalks, after harvesting,...

DDK phone-in on floriculture

Guwahati Doordarshan Kendra will telecast a live Phone-in-Programme, namely 'Hello Krishi Darshan' on Commercial Floriculture in Assamese , on 7th June (Wednesday) next from 5.30pm to 6pm in the 'Krishi Darshan' programme. Dr Sunil Kumar Borah , Principal Scientist, Horticultural Research Station, Assam Agricultural University and Mowsam Hazarika, Assistant Director ( Horticulture) , Directorate of Horticulture and Food Processing, Assam will take part in the programme . It may be mentioned that, the said programme will be helpful for the farmers of Assam, who are interested in floriculture . It is hope that, floriculture may initiate new era in Assam Horticulture . Interested farmers may...