GUWAHATI, July 7 � Agriculture was among the worst affected areas during the recent floods in the State, with 2,54,935 hectares of cropland suffering damage. And the crop loss has been well over 50 per cent in almost the entire agricultural land affected by the floods.
Nearly a half of the flood-affected cropland, i.e., 1,23,281 hectares belonged to small and medium farmers � the break-up being 78,623 ha rainfed, 32,115 ha irrigated and 12,543 ha perennial.
A total of 1,30,910 hectares of affected land belonged to farmers other than small and medium farmers � the break-up being 83,487 ha rainfed, 34,102 ha irrigated, and 13,321 perennial.
While all the districts of the State except Dima Hasao (NC Hills) were affected, Barpeta had the maximum cropland area affected by the floods at 32,221 hectares, followed by Lakhimpur (20,399 ha), Nalbari (19,901 ha), Darrang (18,415 ha), Nagaon (18,071 ha), Jorhat (16,021 ha), and Chirang (14,052 ha).
Agriculture Minister Nilamani Sen Deka told The Assam Tribune that the department was assessing the damage in detail and preparing a comprehensive package for the affected farmers. He said that the process of distribution of seeds including hybrid seeds had already started.
�Seedlings are being raised in community nurseries and Krishi Vigyan Kendras.
We are on the verge of finalising an exhaustive package for farmers comprising seeds, transportation subsidy, fuel subsidy, etc.,� Deka said.
A total of 56,738.37 quintals of seeds are being distributed under three schemes.
�We have 2,396 quintal seeds for free distribution under Disaster Management, which will be utilised for raising seedlings in community nurseries set up on both government farms and private cropland. Another 9,615 quintals of Sali seeds are also being distributed under Disaster Management,� the minister said.
Under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikash Yojana, a total of 42,863.60 quintal seeds with 50 per cent subsidy are being released to the farmers. In addition, hybrid seeds worth 1,863.77 quintals are also reaching the farmers.
