Assam produces some of the finest and most expensive teas in the world. Other than the Chinese tea variety Camellia sinensis, Assam is the only region in the world that has its own variety of tea, called Camellia assamica. Assam tea is grown at elevations near sea level, giving it a malty sweetness and an earthy flavor, as opposed to the more floral aroma of highland (e.g. Darjeeling , Taiwanese) teas.
Agriculture occupies a vital position in the State’s economy engaging about 53 per cent of the total working force, according to 2001 Census. The contributions of this Sector in State Domestic Product (SDP) at constant and current prices are 31.08 per cent and at 31.13 per cent respectively in 2002-2003.vThe soil, topography, rainfall and climatic condition of Assam are congenial for cultivation of paddy, which covers nearly 70 per cent of the gross cropped area and more than 90 per cent of the total area under food-grains. The agriculture is mainly dependent on rainfall. The State belongs to rainfall belt where rainfall varies from 80 to 1580 mm during different periods of the year. Sufficient rainfall occurs mainly during the Kharif season which is beneficial for growing paddy, the principal crop of the State. Similarly Jute cultivation also gets sufficient rainfall in pre-monsoon period. The Agricultural credit is disbursed through a multi-agency system consisting of Commercial Banks, Regional Rural Banks and Co-operative Banks. Co-operative credit institutions are financing short, medium term and long term basis have remained as primary institutional agencies for rural credit.
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The Kishan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme aimed at providing adequate and timely support to the farmers needs has not progressed as effectively as desired.
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The credit line of ASCARD Bank is also opened during the year after a gap of seven years, which is expected to play a significant role in long term cooperative agriculture credit operation in the State.
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ASSAM RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND AGRICULTURAL SERVICES PROJECT has been implemented by the government of Assam since 1995-96 or which the funding has been done by the World Bank from the IDA category. Under the provision of this project, the state is implementing a project of Shallow Tube Wells (STW) to create irrigation potential for crops & also implementing a Scheme of ‘Agricultural Mechanization’.
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The Government of India has introduced the National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NAIS), which has been accepted by the state government also. The scheme was implemented in Assam from rabi season, 1999-2000. The crops covered during rabi season were - summer paddy, wheat, rape and mustard, sugarcane and potato and the crops covered under kharif season are autumn paddy and winter paddy.
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ASSAM SMALL FARMER’S AGRI-BUSINESS CONSORTIUM (ASFAC) isto catalyze agro-industrial growth, mainly through development of horticulture in the country and to canalize funds received from the Technology Mission on Horticulture, Government of India, Ministry of Agriculture, department of Agriculture and Co-operation. They have constituted a registered society in the name of “Small Farmer’s Agri-Business Consortium” with headquarters in New Delhi headed by a Managing Director.
Assam has unique agro-climatic conditions, which permit growing of different varieties of horticultural crops, like fruits, vegetables, flowers, spices, medicinal and aromatic plants, nut crops, tuber crops and also plantation crops. The total area under horticultural crops in the State is estimated at 5,43,278 hectares which annually produce about 12.50 lakh tonnes of fruits and about 30.89 lakh tonnes of vegetables including potato, spices, flowers, nut crops etc. The homestead gardens locally known as ‘Bari’ is a unique feature of common people of the State which depict an inherent tendency to be self-sufficient with day to day family requirements of seasonal major and minor fruits, vegetables, spices, condiments and even the medicinal plants also. As the soil is largely organic in nature, these crops seldom require any chemicals, fertilizer or pesticides. Of late, bigger plantations with thrust crops on modern footing are gradually coming up and the need of commercialization has been felt even in the backward districts of the State. However, horticulture crops in Assam are yet to be fully harnessed.
