Assam Agriculture Minister Pijush Hazarika addressed roughly 250 progressive farmers at a state-level workshop in Guwahati on August 24, 2026, urging them to adopt double and triple cropping alongside continued paddy cultivation, and to shift more land toward high-value crops such as litchi and makhana (fox nut) to raise incomes on the same landholding. The workshop, titled "Strengthening Business Opportunities for Agriculture and Allied Products," was organised by the state Agriculture Department at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra and focused on making Assam's agriculture and allied sectors more profitable and market-oriented.
Hazarika told farmers the state needed to maximise returns from existing agricultural land by cultivating crops that require less space, mature faster, and generate higher income than traditional single-season paddy farming — without abandoning paddy cultivation itself, which he said should continue alongside the new push rather than be replaced by it.
Background
The minister's push responds to a structural problem that has persisted in Assam's agricultural economy for years: farmer income has largely stagnated even as diversification efforts have expanded. Research tracking the period between 2010 and 2022 found that average farmer income in the state did not meaningfully increase over that stretch, even as more marginal and small farmers turned to diversified income sources — meaning diversification alone, without the right crop mix and market access, has not been enough to move the needle. Assam's agriculture sector continues to grapple with rainfed dependency, seasonal flooding, kharif-season drought risk, low farm mechanisation, and largely traditional cultivation practices in paddy, alongside poor market accessibility that limits how much of a harvest actually reaches buyers at a fair price. Social resistance to changing established cropping patterns has also historically slowed diversification, with farmers attempting new crops sometimes facing isolation or non-cooperation from more traditional neighbours rather than support.
Against that backdrop, success stories are being used to make the case for change: one widely cited example is a farmer whose annual income rose from around Rs 30,000 to approximately Rs 2.2 lakh through diversified activity spanning fishery, horticulture and vegetable cultivation — a roughly seven-fold increase attributed specifically to moving beyond single-crop paddy farming. The state's current push, spanning litchi, makhana and multiple cropping, is an attempt to replicate that kind of outcome at scale rather than leaving it to individual farmers to discover on their own.
Key Details
- Workshop held August 24, 2026, at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra, Guwahati, addressing around 250 progressive farmers
- Organised by the Assam Agriculture Department under the theme "Strengthening Business Opportunities for Agriculture and Allied Products"
- Minister Pijush Hazarika urged farmers to adopt double and triple cropping while continuing paddy cultivation, not replacing it
- Litchi singled out for expansion, citing strong international export demand
- Makhana (fox nut) cultivation to be promoted in mission mode, with makhana seeds to be distributed to farmers starting February next year
- Approximately 7 crore fruit saplings planned for distribution to farmers in the next season
- Statewide farmer income was found to be largely stagnant between 2010 and 2022 despite growing diversification efforts
At a Glance
| Initiative | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cropping strategy | Double/triple cropping alongside continued paddy cultivation |
| Litchi | Production push, citing strong international export demand |
| Makhana (fox nut) | Mission-mode promotion; seed distribution from February next year |
| Fruit saplings | ~7 crore to be distributed next season |
| Illustrative outcome | One diversified farmer's income rose from ~Rs 30,000 to ~Rs 2.2 lakh/year |
Local Impact
For the roughly 250 progressive farmers who attended the workshop, and the wider farming community they represent, the immediate impact will depend on how quickly the promised support — makhana seeds, fruit saplings, market linkages for high-value crops — actually reaches the ground, given that similar diversification pushes in the past have often outpaced the support infrastructure needed to sustain them. Smaller and marginal farmers, who research shows have been the ones most likely to already attempt diversification without seeing proportional income gains, stand to benefit most if this round of state support genuinely improves market access rather than only production volumes. Litchi and makhana in particular are being positioned as export- and market-linked crops rather than purely subsistence ones, meaning their success will hinge as much on buyer networks and price realisation as on successful cultivation.
What Happens Next
The state's makhana seed distribution is scheduled to begin in February next year, giving the Agriculture Department roughly five months to finalise distribution logistics and identify participating farmers and districts. The promised distribution of around 7 crore fruit saplings in the next season will similarly require significant coordination across district agriculture offices. Given the minister's emphasis on litchi's export potential, farmers and industry watchers are likely to look for follow-up announcements on specific export market linkages or buyer agreements in the coming months, which would determine whether the litchi push translates into higher farmer income or remains a production target without a corresponding sales channel.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Assam's Agriculture Minister announce at the August 24 workshop?
Pijush Hazarika urged farmers to adopt double and triple cropping alongside continued paddy cultivation, and highlighted plans to expand litchi production for export and promote makhana (fox nut) cultivation in mission mode.
When will makhana seeds be distributed to farmers?
Makhana seed distribution is planned to begin in February next year as part of the mission-mode push for the crop.
How many fruit saplings will be distributed to Assam farmers?
Approximately 7 crore fruit saplings are planned for distribution to farmers in the next season.
Why is Assam pushing crop diversification now?
Farmer income in Assam largely stagnated between 2010 and 2022 despite growing diversification efforts, prompting the state to promote specific high-value crops like litchi and makhana alongside multiple cropping to raise returns per unit of land.
Is Assam asking farmers to stop growing paddy?
No, the minister specifically urged farmers to continue paddy cultivation while additionally adopting double and triple cropping to maximise land productivity, rather than replacing paddy entirely.
What challenges does Assam's agriculture sector face?
Key challenges include rainfed dependency, seasonal flooding, kharif-season drought risk, low farm mechanisation, largely traditional paddy cultivation practices, and poor market accessibility.
Has crop diversification worked for individual farmers in Assam before?
Yes, one cited example saw a farmer's annual income rise from around Rs 30,000 to approximately Rs 2.2 lakh through diversified activity spanning fishery, horticulture and vegetable cultivation.
Sources
Assam Tribune, ANI News, The Sentinel Assam, The Shillong Times, Pratidin Time, The Hills Times, Daily Pioneer.