GANGTOK, August 23: Detailing the implications on the Kharif crops in Sikkim this year triggered by deficient rainfall during monsoon season, the State Agriculture Minister Dawcho Lepcha said the agricultural production in the State is being hit and additional supply of food grain is required.
Addressing the State Agriculture Minister’s Conference in New Delhi on August 21, Mr. Lepcha said Sikkim deficit rainfall by almost 34 percent than the normal rainfall during this kharif season. “Since Sikkim is a hilly state and agriculture in this tiny state is largely dependent on the monsoon, he said the erratic monsoon had largely affected the sowing of Kharif crops like paddy and maize,” he said.
The minister pointed out that the State’s need for additional food supply was because of its deficit in food grain production and dependent on outside source for meeting its food grain requirements coupled with poor monsoon.
Informing that maize is the main crop of the state and covers the largest area, the minister said the yield is expected to be less this season by around 25 percent due to less rainfall and moisture stress during sowing time and growth period. “The total cultivated area under maize during the year 2008-09 was 39,200 ha and production was 65,000 tons. We are estimating the shortfall of maize production by almost 6670 tons thus with total loss of around Rs.1625.00 lakhs,” he informed.
He also dwelt on similar problems faced during sowing and transplanting of rice. “We are estimating the loss of around 30 percent than the normal production. In lower elevation of paddy field had remained fallow by almost 20 percent which is 2600 ha approximately and now we are expecting the yield loss of around 6670 tons and value loss worth of Rs.876.00 lakhs,” the minister detailed.
Further, Mr. Lepcha emphasised on various steps taken by the State Government to mitigate the loss of the poor farming community like initiating more areas under pulses and millet in post kharif season. He informed about the State Government’s proposal to take up rice fallow under wheat during Rabi season to compensate the loss of food grains during the Kharif.
”Locally available TL seeds of Ragi and Pulses have been distributed to the farmers in mini kit form, he said adding “irrigation channels are being repaired and schemes have been proposed under RKVY to supplement the nutritional requirements.”
The Sikkim agriculture minister also requested the union agriculture minister to revalidate the unspent balance under RKVY and release the amount to be utilized during current year. Here, he said the unspent balance under Macro Management of Agriculture is being utilized for supplementing organic sources of nutrients.
The Rabi Campaign will be kicked off from September 15 and KVKs have been romped in to extend the technical support to the farmers, he informed. He added that the State government has adopted the policies to make Sikkim a fully organic state by 2015 and all necessary steps are being taken up in this line and that support and guidance from the union agriculture ministry was needed.
Mr. Lepcha also said the low rainfall received during the Kharif season has adversely affected the production of some of the important horticultural crops especially orange, large cardamom and kharif vegetables. The estimated loss due to drought condition of these horticultural crops is estimated to be around Rs.578 lakhs, he said.
At the same time, the minister suggested construction of Rain Water Harvesting tanks of 1, 00,000 to 1, 50,000 litres capacity to overcome the dry spells, particularly as a long term measure as drought in the hilly state has been a regular phenomenon.
The meeting was chaired by Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Union Rural Development Minister CP Thakur, Ministers from all the States of India and the Union Secretary from many departments.
Addressing the State Agriculture Minister’s Conference in New Delhi on August 21, Mr. Lepcha said Sikkim deficit rainfall by almost 34 percent than the normal rainfall during this kharif season. “Since Sikkim is a hilly state and agriculture in this tiny state is largely dependent on the monsoon, he said the erratic monsoon had largely affected the sowing of Kharif crops like paddy and maize,” he said.
The minister pointed out that the State’s need for additional food supply was because of its deficit in food grain production and dependent on outside source for meeting its food grain requirements coupled with poor monsoon.
Informing that maize is the main crop of the state and covers the largest area, the minister said the yield is expected to be less this season by around 25 percent due to less rainfall and moisture stress during sowing time and growth period. “The total cultivated area under maize during the year 2008-09 was 39,200 ha and production was 65,000 tons. We are estimating the shortfall of maize production by almost 6670 tons thus with total loss of around Rs.1625.00 lakhs,” he informed.
He also dwelt on similar problems faced during sowing and transplanting of rice. “We are estimating the loss of around 30 percent than the normal production. In lower elevation of paddy field had remained fallow by almost 20 percent which is 2600 ha approximately and now we are expecting the yield loss of around 6670 tons and value loss worth of Rs.876.00 lakhs,” the minister detailed.
Further, Mr. Lepcha emphasised on various steps taken by the State Government to mitigate the loss of the poor farming community like initiating more areas under pulses and millet in post kharif season. He informed about the State Government’s proposal to take up rice fallow under wheat during Rabi season to compensate the loss of food grains during the Kharif.
”Locally available TL seeds of Ragi and Pulses have been distributed to the farmers in mini kit form, he said adding “irrigation channels are being repaired and schemes have been proposed under RKVY to supplement the nutritional requirements.”
The Sikkim agriculture minister also requested the union agriculture minister to revalidate the unspent balance under RKVY and release the amount to be utilized during current year. Here, he said the unspent balance under Macro Management of Agriculture is being utilized for supplementing organic sources of nutrients.
The Rabi Campaign will be kicked off from September 15 and KVKs have been romped in to extend the technical support to the farmers, he informed. He added that the State government has adopted the policies to make Sikkim a fully organic state by 2015 and all necessary steps are being taken up in this line and that support and guidance from the union agriculture ministry was needed.
Mr. Lepcha also said the low rainfall received during the Kharif season has adversely affected the production of some of the important horticultural crops especially orange, large cardamom and kharif vegetables. The estimated loss due to drought condition of these horticultural crops is estimated to be around Rs.578 lakhs, he said.
At the same time, the minister suggested construction of Rain Water Harvesting tanks of 1, 00,000 to 1, 50,000 litres capacity to overcome the dry spells, particularly as a long term measure as drought in the hilly state has been a regular phenomenon.
The meeting was chaired by Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Union Rural Development Minister CP Thakur, Ministers from all the States of India and the Union Secretary from many departments.
