• PAGE ONE
• INDEX
• HOME

Rice prospects good in Bengal

Ambar Singh Roy

CALCUTTA, July 3

WEST Bengal has a net cropped area of 54.63 lakh hectares spread across 17 agricultural districts (the total number of administrative districts is 18). The gross cropped area, however, is higher at 92 lakh ha. (more than one crop a year is grown in sever al areas). The total area under cultivation has remained more or less constant over the last few years.

In the kharif season, 90 per cent of the cropping area is under rice, which is cultivated in nearly 48 lakh ha. Of this, six lakh ha. are under ``Aus'' cultivation (grown early in the kharif season). The ``Amon'' variety of rice (grown in the latter part of the kharif season) is cultivated in 42 lakh ha. Generally, the productivity is pegged at 2.2 tonnes of rice per ha. (three kg of paddy translates into two kg of rice).

Last year, thanks to a bumper crop, a total of 110 l.t. of rice was produced in West Bengal. The average production in earlier years was 90 l.t.

The State agriculture department sources said it was too early to estimate the size of kharif rice this year because transplantation for most of the ``Aus'' variety of rice was yet to be over.

In the balance 10 per cent of the cropped area, jute, vegetables, maize, sugarcane, pulses and oilseeds are cultivated. Jute is cultivated in 6.52 lakh ha. spread across Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling in North Bengal and Murshidabad, Nadia, 24 Pa rganas, Hooghly, Howrah, Midnapore and Burdwan of South Bengal.

Last year, the total jute production stood at 40.02 lakh bales out of the all-India production of 70.4 lakh bales. This year, sowing was higher by 15-20 per cent. As per initial estimates, the all-India crop size may be close to 90 lakh bales. However, e xcess rains have destroyed the plants in several areas. Fresh estimates are not available.

According to the sources, the sowing status crop-wise is:

Jute: Sowing of jute is over in all areas. Sowing has been higher by between 15 per cent and 20 per cent over last year.

Rice: Sowing of 60 per cent of the ``Aus'' variety is over. As regards ``Amon'', the seed beds have been raised to the extent of 80 per cent and transplantation has progressed only to the extent of 20 per cent.

All inputs, such as seeds, fertilisers and pesticides are available in required quantities. Rainfall has been normal so far. In select pockets, it is heavy, which affected jute cultivation. The trend of the monsoon is generally good. It appears to be con genial for raising seedbed for ``Amon'' and transplantation of ``Aus'' rice varieties.

Advance planning is done to face any eventuality arising from natural calamities, such as, flood, drought, hailstorm and cyclone. This plan is circulated to all district agricultural officers for implementation as and when warranted by circumstances.

Besides, care is taken to pre-position different inputs, such as seeds, fertilisers, pesticides at all levels to meet crisis situations. Farmers are advised to prepare seedbeds in a staggered manner to overcome the vagaries of nature. This is also done t o maintain the optimum age of the seedlings for better production.

In the event of contingencies, technical manipulation of cultivation practices is resorted to if felt necessary on account of the vagaries of nature. Also, prime inputs are always kept ready in the immediate vicinity of the cultivable land. Currently, se asonal conditions are normal. Hence, there is no need to implement the contingency plan.