राज्य स्तरीय बैंकर्स समिति State Level Bankers' Committee
Convenor Bank || North Eastern Region
Convenor Bank || North Eastern Region
Agriculture plays a very important role in the socio-economicdevelopment of Assam. It is the backbone of the state's economy and holds the key to theoverall development of the state. Agriculture significantly contributes to the state's economyand provides as a main source of occupation and livelihood support to 70 percent ruralpopulation.The total number offarmer's family in Assam is 27,41,722 as per agriculture census 2015-16. The size ofoperational holdings on an average is 1.10 hectare and more than 85 percent farmers areeither small or marginal with average land holding of just about 0.36 hectares. Agriculture Census data 2015-16 reveals that the total land under cultivation was 29.77 lakhs hectares i.e. 37.95 percent of total geographical land area of State.
The State has three distinct physiographic units – the plain, the plateau and the hills.The Brahmaputra and Barak Valley accounting for 80.8% of total geographic area arethe two priority zones
The soil texture of the state varies considerably depending on the agro climaticconditions and physiographic. The major soil groups of Assam are Riverine alluviumsoil, Terai soil, Lateritic soil, and Red yellow loam soil. More than 24% of net croppedarea is either strongly or moderately acidic.
The climate of Assam is humid subtropical in nature with warm humid summer andcool dry winter. Due to unique geographical location and varied physiography, thestate has wide array of climatic conditions. The state though has natural potentialities to drive the agriculture sector, erratic and unpredictable weather conditions and floods have creating adverse impact making the farmers vulnerable to the situations.
The annual rainfall is 2340.3 mm of which 2038.1mm occurs during Kharif season and302.2 mm in Rabi season.The actual rainfall received in the state during the year 2021 (January to December)was 2402.9 mm.
Rice is the most important crop in Assam. Mustard seed and Tea are the nextmost important crops. Wheat, Pulses, Oilseeds, Jute and Mesta, Sugarcane, Potato,Banana, Arecanut, Maize and Chillies are other important crops of the state.
Towards the goal of increasing cropping intensity and raising crop yield provisioning of irrigation in the agriculture field is the prime necessity. Considering the uncertainties faced in the production of Kharif crops due floods, the state Agriculture Department has put emphasis on Rabi crops by assigning top priority to develop assured irrigation facilities through installation of pump sets (shallow tube well and low lift pumps).
The Dairy Development, Assam envisages the reduction of the current milk marketshare of 95% by the unorganized sector and transforming it to the fold of organized sectorand it proposes to focus on the complete suite of services to the unorganized sector such asformation of more & more Primary Dairy Cooperative Societies (DCS), their capacitybuilding, supporting them with the dairy inputs for milk procurement, primary processingand marketing, creation of cold chain facilities & milk processing infrastructure for milk valueaddition, linking the dairy farmers with ALDA for AI support and AH &Vety Department forfeed & fodder, animal health, disease control supports etc, quality assurance training toabide by the FSSAI norms, supporting the dairy farmers with credit linkages under KCC,NPDD,DIDF and other relevant schemes and making linkages of DCSS /Dairy groups withprospective milk buyers under Formal/ Organized Sector.
The State of Assam is abundant with diverse fishery resources covering about 2.58Lakh hectare of water area which exist in the form of ponds, derelict water bodies andbeels/flood plain wetlands. Besides this, the two major river systems i.e. the Brahmaputra;Barak and its tributaries which spread up to 11,060.60 KM as a riverine fisheries. Thus, theentire water spread areas provide the state a very potential scope for fish production andemployment opportunities in fishing related activities. There are also 216 freshwater fishspecies and over 50 fish species having ornamental importance.The Fishery sector is now emerging as one of the significant sectors in the state forsocio economic development of the state providing rural employment, nutritional supportand livelihood security and thereby reducing poverty and promotion of health.
Assam produces a wide range of horticultural crops including fruits, vegetables,flowers, spices, nuts, tubers, medicinal and aromatic plants. The climatic condition anddiverse landscape of the state have helped to develop diverse ecological habitats such asforests, grasslands, wetlands etc. which harbour and sustain wide ranging floral and faunalspecies in the state. The state has tremendous scope to promote horticulture sector that canhelp ensure food and nutritional security, as well as enhance employment opportunities viacultivation and post-harvest management and value addition of horticulture produces.
Horticulture crops occupy about 15 percent of gross cropped area of the State withan annual production of more than 67 lakhs metric tonnes of various horticultural produces.The state has now emphasized on the commercialization of the sector as a priority basis. The emphasis of the state is now on raising productivity of various commerciallypotential crops through use of better technology, management, and provision of plantingmaterials to the farmers. Moreover, emphasis is also placed on pre and post-harvest treatment, proper harvest techniques, setting up of collection centres with grading facilities,transport facilities and marketing facilities.
