New Delhi: As part of its ongoing efforts to bring second green revolution in eastern India through rice, the biggest foodgrain grown in these states, the central government would hold its first-ever major conference on agriculture in eastern states in Kolkata next month.
The two-day long conference to be attended by top agricultural scientists, agriculture minister Sharad Pawar and finance minister Pranab Mukherjee will discuss strategies to bring rice yield in eastern states at par with the national average.
Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee sanctioned Rs 400 crore for ushering Green Revolution in eastern states in his annual budget speech. West Bengal and Orissa have been allocated the biggest chunk of the sanctioned amount.
The traditional rice-growing states of eastern India constitute Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal, Chattisgarh and eastern parts of Uttar Pradesh, which accounts for 61% of the total rice area and 51% of total rice production in the country, has abysmally low per hectare yields as compared to the national average.
Experts say that due to absence of large scale irrigation facilities and smaller land holdings, the average rice yield in the region is much lower than the national average of 2.27 tonne per hectare. “Predominance of rainfed ecosystems accounting for 60-80% of the total rice area in the region is the prime reason for such distressing yield levels,” T K Adhya, director, Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI) told FE.
The workshop would discuss host of critical issues concerning augmenting rice production such as technology enhancement, use of hybrid seeds and optimal use of ground water.
Green revolution envisages adoption of new seed varieties, farm machines, nutrients, pesticides and knowledge-based intervention as developed for different agro climatic zones.
Agriculture ministry official said the objective is to increase productivity by intensive cultivation through promotion of recommended agriculture technologies and package of practices.
Prior to this workshop a preliminary meeting with the state agriculture secretaries, directors of agriculture of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, UP and West Bengal was held in March, 2010 during the national kharif conference at New Delhi.
During the preliminary meeting, agriculture scientists said the eastern region, which was primarily rice-based farming system, the efforts envisaged are to increase the productivity of the rice and other crops of the farming system like maize, oilseeds and pulses.
The two-day long conference to be attended by top agricultural scientists, agriculture minister Sharad Pawar and finance minister Pranab Mukherjee will discuss strategies to bring rice yield in eastern states at par with the national average.
Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee sanctioned Rs 400 crore for ushering Green Revolution in eastern states in his annual budget speech. West Bengal and Orissa have been allocated the biggest chunk of the sanctioned amount.
The traditional rice-growing states of eastern India constitute Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal, Chattisgarh and eastern parts of Uttar Pradesh, which accounts for 61% of the total rice area and 51% of total rice production in the country, has abysmally low per hectare yields as compared to the national average.
Experts say that due to absence of large scale irrigation facilities and smaller land holdings, the average rice yield in the region is much lower than the national average of 2.27 tonne per hectare. “Predominance of rainfed ecosystems accounting for 60-80% of the total rice area in the region is the prime reason for such distressing yield levels,” T K Adhya, director, Central Rice Research Institute (CRRI) told FE.
The workshop would discuss host of critical issues concerning augmenting rice production such as technology enhancement, use of hybrid seeds and optimal use of ground water.
Green revolution envisages adoption of new seed varieties, farm machines, nutrients, pesticides and knowledge-based intervention as developed for different agro climatic zones. Agriculture ministry official said the objective is to increase productivity by intensive cultivation through promotion of recommended agriculture technologies and package of practices.
Prior to this workshop a preliminary meeting with the state agriculture secretaries, directors of agriculture of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, UP and West Bengal was held in March, 2010 during the national kharif conference at New Delhi.
During the preliminary meeting, agriculture scientists said the eastern region, which was primarily rice-based farming system, the efforts envisaged are to increase the productivity of the rice and other crops of the farming system like maize, oilseeds and pulses.