Assam Agriculture Minister Atul Bora said production of potatoes has increased from seven metric tonnes per hectare to 17 metric tonnes per hectare. Bora said that the state must be self-reliant in the agriculture and veterinary sectors and not be dependent on the other states of the country.
He said this at The Potato Conclave, organized by the Department of Horticulture & Food Processing, Assam in collaboration with the Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project (APART) and the International Potato Center (CIP) specifically for the development of the potato value chain in the state of Assam.
According to the minister, the use of scientific technologies by the International Potato Centre under the initiatives of APART, the aim of the Agriculture Department is to make Assam self-sufficient in production of certified seed potato production.
Bora also added that the world is undergoing the effects of climate change and Assam has also been seeing a drastic change in climate. It will be a challenge for agricultural scientists to overcome such obstacles and assist farmers in increasing their income in a sustainable manner by utilising cutting-edge technologies.
The new generation of the state are interested in the agri-horticultural sectors for their self-employment and are coming forward to further explore this sector, especially in horticulture.