What does fall in cultivated area of paddy in Assam indicate?

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: Despite being mainly an agrarian state, the total area of land used for cultivation in the state continues to shrink for various reasons, including climate change.

Various types of paddy—autumn, winter, and summer—were cultivated on 25.75 lakh hectares of land in Assam in 2010–11. In 2023–24, the area of land used for the cultivation of paddy was reduced to 23.08 lakh hectares. When computed, it becomes clear that in the past 12 years, the paddy farmers of the state have left 19.65 lakh bighas of land to lie fallow. Likewise, state farmers have left 1.83 lakh hectares of land without cultivating other food grains in the past 12 years. On the contrary, the areas of land used for oil seeds and pulses have increased to some extent during the past few years.

The number of farmers’ families in the state, according to the 2015-16 state agriculture census, was 27.41 lakh. The farmers of the state have been deserting farming activities for various reasons, like climate change leading to scanty rainfall and floods, siltation after every flood, the use of arable land for other purposes, farmers not getting remunerative prices, a section of rural youth shying away from farming in their lust for lucrative jobs, etc.

The report of the Economic Survey of Assam said, “Preponderance of small and fragmented land holdings along with insecure tenancy are the major reasons for underdevelopment of the agricultural sector in the state.”

According to official sources, the government has taken up various schemes for the development of farmers and agriculture in the state. However, the benefits do not reach the target beneficiaries. This is the season for summer paddy. However, due to scanty rainfall, the farmers cannot sow paddy as the irrigation coverage in the state is poor.

Even as the state government has fixed MSPs for paddy and mustard deeds, several farmers in the state cannot avail of the benefits for various reasons, and that lets unscrupulous middlemen go with the benefits.

The sale of arable land for use in various other activities by following some sort of meandering rule is a common practice in the state. The roadside arable lands are the ones that often fall prey to land sharks. 

The agriculture marketing system in the state has not grown up the way it should have. An instance of this is vegetables. The bumper production of vegetables is a common phenomenon in Assam. However, the faulty marketing system in the state does not let the growers reap the benefits, nor does it allow the consumers to buy them at cheap rates. The middlemen are the ones who take all the benefits.

The only good sign in the state is that a section of industrious youths has come forward with ventures relating to organic farming. Some of them can export their products outside the state and abroad.

Since Assam is basically an agrarian state, the fall in paddy production will have its cascading effects on its economy. 

 Also Read: Assam: Krishak Nyas organized a training on Sali paddy cultivation in Sivasagar district (sentinelassam.com)

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