As part of the state government’s continuous efforts to modernise, strengthen and make Assam’s agriculture sector self-reliant, Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation Pijush Hazarika chaired a crucial review meeting on potato value chain development and multi-stakeholder collaboration at the District Library Auditorium in Nalbari on Tuesday.
The meeting featured detailed discussions on boosting crop productivity, enhancing cold storage facilities, strengthening processing infrastructure, and creating robust market linkages to establish a well-structured value chain.
Interacting directly with the attending farmers, Minister Hazarika assessed their expectations and addressed the operational challenges faced in potato cultivation.
Representatives from PepsiCo were also present at the meeting.
Expressing his appreciation, Minister Hazarika thanked PepsiCo for its active role in directly purchasing potatoes from local growers and providing market security. He expressed optimism that an increasing number of farmers across the state will partner with PepsiCo in the coming days to secure profitable returns for their produce.
Delivering his address, the Minister said, the State has set a target to bring 4 lakh hectares of farmland under irrigation, which includes expanding irrigation coverage to 4,000 bighas of agricultural land in Nalbari district alone.
Minister Hazarika urged farmers not to confine themselves to traditional crops but to boost their earnings by taking up commercial horticulture, such as dragon fruit and apple ber.
Emphasising the commercial plantation of Agarwood (Sanchi) in homesteads and farmlands, he highlighted that nearly 1,000 Agarwood trees can be planted per bigha, offering immense long-term economic returns.
Furthermore, he directed the Agriculture Department to aggressively popularize the ‘PM-KUSUM’ scheme among farmers to ensure solar-powered irrigation support.
Addressing localised agricultural challenges, the Minister shared simple, practical techniques to mitigate crop loss caused by monkeys and squirrels, encouraging farmers to adopt these methods.
He reaffirmed that the State government has spared no effort for the development and welfare of Assam’s farmers and will continue to support them steadfastly.
Earlier, Minister Hazarika inaugurated a ‘Knowledge Centre’ at Bongaon, Chamata in Nalbari. He expressed confidence that these Knowledge Centres will immensely benefit the farming community by imparting modern technical know-how to increase crop yields.