HT Bureau
DIPHU, June 6: The Assam Agriculture Commission (AAC) arrived here on a two-day assessment mission.
The team visited the District Agriculture Office, Diphu, Krishi Vikash Kendra, and Assam Agriculture University (AAU) Zonal Research Station, Diphu and interacted with the scientists, officials, and farmers on issues of double cultivation through government facilities in the land of the district, application of scientific methods in the fields, piggery, problems faced by pig herders, problems faced by farmers in cultivation, increase of farmer’s production and income, expansion of agricultural trade and market development, etc.
The team comprises Dr Hari S Gupta (chairman), Dr Haladhar Dev Sharma, Dr Bhuban Chandra Borah, Dr Pranjal Prakash Sarmah, Dr Atul Chandra Sarma (nodal officer, AAC), Dr Pradip Medhi, and Bijunath Sarmah.
On the second day, a meeting was held with agriculture officers, officers of other departments, and farmers at the conference hall of the Arboretum and Craft Centre here.
In the meeting, the AAC Chairman, while exchanging his views with farmers, said that it’s important to reduce the cost of production to improve the condition of the village farmers.
“We should think of feed cost reduction and transport cost reduction like Andhra Pradesh and process spices like ginger here in the district to increase jobs and marketing prospects,” the chairman said.
The AAC has been set up with the objective of making the state self-reliant in agricultural production through the holistic development of agriculture and its allied sectors in the coming days.
The AAC chairman said, “Maize has tremendous potential here, as well as Soyabean. Mustard also has potential as the second crop after rice”.
The team of AAC held discussions with the members of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) on the development of irrigation systems, marketing of ginger and pumpkin, water and storage problems, etc.
The meeting was chaired by Executive Member (EM), Agriculture, Amarsing Tisso. Tisso stressed the need to take up organic cultivation.
He said, “Marketing is very important here. Though the people of Karbi Anglong are very hardworking yet, they do not get the value of their products. Initiatives were taken by chief minister Himanta Biswa Sharma and chief executive member (CEM), KAAC, Tuliram Ranghang, for the marketing of ginger.”
He said the farmers here need subsidies on tractors and need the help of AAC for the improvement of the marketing system and other agriculture sectors.
Later, the AAC team visited Langmili Farm in Bakalia. During the inspection, the agriculture officers, scientists from AAU, and staff accompanied them.
Apart from the Agriculture Department, Veterinary, Dairy Development, Fishery, Irrigation, and Agriculture Engineering also participated in the meeting.
