NEW DELHI, Sept 18 � In an encouraging development, Assam has been awarded the best performing State in rice production in eastern India.
Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar presented awards for best performance in production and productivity in National Food Security Mission (NFSM) districts, to the States of Assam (Eastern) for rice, Punjab (western region) and Bihar (central eastern) for wheat; Uttar Pradesh (central western), Andhra Pradesh (southern) and Maharashtra (central eastern), Tamil Nadu (southern) and Orissa (eastern) for pulses.
The two-day National Rabi Conference concluded here today after evolving a detailed region-wise strategy for the coming Rabi season. The focus of the strategy was on improving the productivity of crops and making the best use of available moisture in the soil.
The awards were given at the conclusion of two-day National Conference on Agriculture for Rabi Campaign-2010 here today.
The conference recommended that the States would ensure timely availability of inputs to farmers. They would also work to bring more areas under boro rice and encourage farmers to plant wheat early. States that have received less rainfall during the monsoon season have been advised to implement the contingency plan already prepared and use the available soil moisture to sow crops that require less water.
