Kharif Conference, 2007 Bihar: Agriculture in Focus

1. Kharif Conference, 2007Bihar: Agriculture in Focus DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE GOVERNMENT OF BIHAR

2. ELEVENTH PLAN GROWTH RATE PROJECTIONS NATIONAL GROWTH RATE: 9 % Sectorwise Projections

3. ELEVENTH PLAN PROJECTIONS OF AGRICULTURE

4. Growth Scenario • Growth rate is 1980s 4.6% dips to -2% between 1991-92 to 1995-96. • Growth rate on a robust upward curve at present (3.73% - 2006-07). • Structural Imbalance : Agriculture employs 90% of population, but contributes only 38% GSDP.

5. Low Productivity: Opportunity • Rice: Best Punjab 35.28 (quintals/ha) Bihar 14.93 Yield Gap 20.35 • Wheat: Best Punjab 43.66 Bihar 21.05 Yield Gap 22.61 • Maize: Best AP 31.15 Bihar 22.46 Yield Gap 8.69 • Sugarcane: TN 1016.20 Bihar 245.93 Yield Gap 770.27 • Potato: Best West Bengal 261.00 Bihar 102.00 Yield Gap 159

6. Problems & Issues • Inputs: High cost, poor quality and scarce • Credit : Access to institutional credit restricted due to land ownership issues. Also credit flow slow: 104 lakh holdings – 20 lakh Kisan Credit Card • Poor farming practices: For eg. mechanization : 17 tractors per 1000 hect. against 68 tractors per 1000 hect. in Punjab • Fragmented holding: 90% of holding belonging to small & marginal farmers • Diesel based irrigation • Flood & drought risks • Weak marketing & storage facility

7. Growth Strategies • Shift in cropping pattern • Moving from long duration to medium & short duration crop varieties • Agriculture Marketing • Storage • Opening up • Massive Rural Road Programme • Procurement • Credit • Strengthening of cooperative system • Input management • Appreciably increase SRR • Massive power programme • Harnessing rivers for irrigation and flood control

8. Growth Rate Projections for 11th Plan • State’s own projection : 5% (ICOR of the sector reckoned at 3.36) • Major factors impeding growth rate like fertilizer consumption, irrigation, prices are in the process of stabilization. • Planning Commission project : 7% - feasible

9. 2006 – 2007: Revival of Focus on Agriculture

10. Trends in major crops Area in lakh hect., Production in lakh MT There has been substantial increase in area under wheat, maize & pulses during 2006-07

11. Nutrient consumption trend 16% increase in per hectare consumption of fertilizer during 2006-07 over the preceding year 2005-06.

12. Fertilizer consumption trends Availability determines consumption

13. Institutional Reforms (2006-07) • Implementation of Vaidyanathan Committee Report on Cooperative Credit. • Constitution of State Farmers’ Commission. • Constitution of Vision Group on Bihar agriculture under Chairmanship of Prof. V. S. Vyas • Repeal of Bihar Agriculture Produce Market Committee Act 1960. • Revival of Bihar State Seed Corporation (BRBN) • Revival of State Seed Farms • Establishment of Horticulture College at Nalanda • Establishment of ATMA in all the 38 districts(23 districts have been added under State Plan) • Krishak Salahkar (Agri-consultants) as para extension service providers to farmers in all Panchayats

14. Infrastructural Development (2006-07) • Establishment of Soil Testing Laboratories in every district(16 new laboratories added during 2006-07) • Establishment of State Pesticide Testing Laboratory at Patna • Laboratory for Sanitary and Phyto Sanitary certification • Chief Minister Horticulture Mission in 19 districts outside NHM • Micro-Irrigation : 10% additional subsidy from State plan. • Mechanization : 25% additional subsidy from State plan for 2007-08.

15. Kharif at a glance Area in lakh hect., Production in lakh MT

16. Strategies • Micro planning • Input planning • Quality control • Varietal diversification • Risk coverage • Transfer of technology

17. Micro Planning • State level workshop arranged • Guidelines prepared • Division wise pre Kharif workshop to finalize agro-climatic zone wise crop, varieties & other inputs

18. Input Planning (Seed) • Bihar Seed Plan prepared • Bihar Rajya Beej Nigam & Seed Certification Agency strengthened • Major focus on increasing SRR • Seed to be tested from every lot

19. Input Planning (Fertilizer) • Balance use of fertilizer on the basis of soil testing • 10 soil samples to be collected from every village • New Fertilizer Monitoring System (FMS) introduced.

20. Quality Control Through State Plan

21. Varietal diversification • Increase in area of hybrid paddy cultivation from 25000 hect. to 1 lakh hect. • To promote the use of hybrid maize seeds during Kharif upto 50%. • Promotion of short & medium duration varieties of rice

22. Risk coverage • Crop insurance • Non-loanee farmers to be encouraged to benefit from crop insurance • Contingent crop plan • Very short duration seed banks in flood prone areas

23. Transfer of technology • Crop demonstration in every panchayat • Farmers fair in every block • Farmers training at village level

24. NHM: Mission Activities & Terminal Market • Terminal Market; The DPR has been prepared by NIAM for Rs. 5900.00 lakh. Land available. Appointment of consultant under process. • Camps in all districts during first week April 07 to collect applications for area expansion, rejuvenation etc. • 10% additional subsidy from the State side for MI schemes • Massive IPM programme in lychee gardens (1000 ha) • Project for market–led extension under preparation. • Token

25. Flagging issues Fertilizer Unit in lakh MT Seed Unit in Qtls. Macro Management Mode allocation : 24.22 crore (inadequate)

26. Other Issues • Shortage in supply of fertilizers in time as per demand to the State. • Improved variety of pulses seed is not available. • Problems in crop insurance (Extension of last dates to suit State’s cropping pattern).

27. Thank you....