Two successive waves of floods in Assam between June and September may have damaged crops in approximately 3.15 lakh hectares with the state Government working out the estimated loss at around Rs 330 crore. That, however, does not appear to have dampened the enthusiasm of the state agriculture department which has not only drawn up a comprehensive plan to make up for the losses but has even set a target of achieving surplus production of rice.“We have already put into action a special rabi programme under the Calamity Relief Fund and Disaster Management Programme,” said state agriculture minister Pramilarani Brahma, emphasising that the target of producing 41 lakh metric tonnes of rice during 2008-09 would remain unchanged regardless of the huge losses caused by floods in the last four months. If achieved, this would mean production of at least five lakh tonnes more rice than Assam’s production during 2007-08.Assam, at the current consumption level, requires about 39 lakh metric tonnes of rice to meet the requirement of its 2.66 crore population and achieving the target of 41 lakh metric tonnes would mean a two-lakh tonne surplus. The state has already started distributing various rabi seeds to the flood-affected farmers free of cost, including wheat, potato, peas, lentils, mustard, onion, garlic, coriander as well as summer paddy. While the free distribution of seeds is being carried out at a total expenditure of Rs 30 crore, the state expects to produce about 11,000 quintals of wheat, 48,000 quintals of potato, 6,500 quintals of peas, 5,000 quintals of mustard seed and 1,000 quintals of onions in addition to about 28,000 quintals of summer rice. “What is most encouraging is that our farmers are showing increasing interest in potato, onion, wheat and mustard, which also indicates that most farmers today want to go out of the traditional self-sufficiency concept to a commercial level,” said agriculture minister Brahma. Farmers are also showing increasing interest towards cultivating various kinds of spices, which include coriander, garlic and black pepper. In addition to rabi seeds being distributed under the Calamity Relief Fund, the state Government has also started distribution of seeds of various vegetables as well as summer paddy under the Disaster Management Programme. “We are spending Rs 6 crore for this second package, and expecting the farmers to produce vegetables and rice worth about Rs 50 crore,” the minister said. Even as floods caused extensive damage to standing crops across 26 districts and affected over 7.56 lakh farm families, pests too put up a major challenge, threatening to wipe out standing paddy crops in districts where the impact of floods was less severe. “It was in he middle of August itself that farmers reported that paddy crops were turning reddish. A detailed investigation showed that the paddy plants were not only turning reddish but were also affected by a number of bugs and pests,” said the minister.A thorough investigation carried out by the state agriculture department in association with scientists of the Assam Agricultural University showed that high atmospheric temperature had suddenly increased the prevalence of certain insects like leaf folder, brown plant hopper, mealy bug and gall midge to an alarming level. “Luckily our scientists and extension officials swung into action quite promptly and brought the situation under control within about a month,” Brahma said.
