Shri Sharad Pawar ji, Hon'ble Union Minister for Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Shri P. K. Basu, Secretary, Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, Shri Rudra Gangadharan, Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries, Dr. S. Ayyappan, Secretary, Department of Agriculture Research & Education, Vice Chancellors of State Agriculture Universities, Principal Secretaries, Agriculture Secretaries of States, distinguished participants, ladies and gentlemen.
I am pleased to be here today. I hope the discussions help us improve Kharif productivity this year. In 2009-10 the country passed through a very difficult phase due to deficient and erratic rainfall which affected adversely the production of Kharif crops particularly rice, coarse cereals and sugarcane. Government of India initiated number of steps with a view to help the concerned State Governments to mitigate the impact of drought. These steps included introduction of diesel subsidy scheme, additional allocation of power from Central pool, appropriate agricultural advisories allowing use of Truthfully Labelled (TL) seeds, distribution of minikits under Government programmes, subsidy to use certified seeds to enable the States to take up alternative crop plan in unsown/germination failed areas. An Empowered Group of Ministers was also set up to review the conditions and take appropriate measures to counter the effect of drought. These measures, along with timely and effective action taken by the State Governments and the determination, hard work and resilience shown by the farmers, helped in considerably mitigating the effects of the drought. We all hope and pray that the monsoons will be favourable this year for a bumper kharif. However, we also need to be fully prepared for any eventuality to protect the interests of our farmers. The State Governments need to gear up the administrative machinery and prepare Agriculture Action Plan as well as alternative Contingency Plan well in advance to ensure availability of agriculture inputs.
The population of India, which is around 1.15 billion at present, is expected to grow to 1.3 billion by the year 2025. The demand for food is growing rapidly due to increasing population and rising income levels and we need to produce about 320 million tonnes of food grains by 2025. With a growing population, the country has to add another 40 million tonnes just to retain the present level of per capita consumption of food. This puts more pressure on our existing resources.
This challenge would require combination of seed-fertilizer-irrigation-technologies. Good quality seed with value addition to increase yields and mitigate biotic and abiotic stresses is the key input for realizing potential of productivity. Efficiency of fertilizer use is becoming increasingly important. Soil test based judicious application of fertilizers would help improvement in productivity, lower input costs, environmental health and efficient utilization of subsidy. The State Governments should accelerate setting up of soil testing laboratories and issue of soil health cards to farmers. The Government has introduced Nutrient Based Subsidy policy from 1st April, 2010. The Central Government will make available fertilizers in required quantities. The state Governments have to ensure efficient utilization of fertilizers. Malpractices must be curbed for better effectiveness.
If quality seeds, fertilizer and credit are arranged by the States well in time, I am confident that the farmers will certainly respond with significant increase in production.
The target of accelerating agriculture growth by 4% per annum in the Eleventh Plan has to be met. The Government has initiated number of steps to promote agriculture. An Accelerated Pulses Production Programme has been recently launched under the National Food Security Mission (NFSM) to enhance the production of pulses. The Budget 2010-11 has provided for enhanced allocations for the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) in order to launch a Special Initiative for Pulses and Oilseeds in Dryland Areas and bridging the yield gap in Eastern India. It gives me great satisfaction that the two new initiatives launched in 2007-08 i.e. the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana and the National Food Security Mission have paid rich dividends in terms of their intended benefits. The States who are ineligible for allocation of funds under the RKVY Scheme are requested to enhance their Plan outlays on agriculture and allied sectors to access funds under the Scheme. The States are also urged to finalize their District and State Agriculture Plans on top priority. The States must also take adequate steps to evaluate the impact of these schemes.
I have observed that there are wide differences in the yield level of various crops among different States. These need to be bridged by judicious use of modern technologies. We are equally concerned about the stagnation in agricultural production in some of the States. The States are therefore urged to make additional efforts during Kharif, 2010 to recover the losses of last year. Rice is the major Kharif crop accounting for major part of the total food grains production in the country. Timely sowing of rice should be ensured. Early trends indicate that the production scenario will be better during the Rabi season.
Food Security of the nation is a matter of prime importance. The Government is concerned about high inflation in recent times which specially affects the vulnerable sections of society. This rise in prices is partly attributed to increase in demand on account of rising incomes, increase in population, increase in MSP, low productivity, etc. The Government has taken a number of fiscal, administrative and monetary steps to counter inflation. There has been some easing of the situation lately. I must emphasize that increased production and productivity of all crops has to be a priority for the agriculture sector. It is also incumbent to ensure that agriculture remains a remunerative activity for the farmers of the country.
I hope the States will utilize this opportunity to discuss and deliberate on the problems and issues they have faced and measures required to increase production and productivity in the ensuing Kharif season to usher in an era of greater prosperity for the farmers of our country. This forum will also provide an excellent opportunity to the States to apprise each other of the best practices evolved by them for enhancing agriculture production .
I wish this Conference all success.
