(a) whether Indian Council of Agricultural Research are aware of the decline in some areas of the yield of rice per acre;
(b) if so, the reasons therefor;
(c) whether wrong use of fertilisers is one of the main factor responsible for decline in rice production; and
(d) if so, the steps ICAR has taken to improve rice productivity in delta areas?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE (DR. DEBENDRA PRADHAN)
(a) Decreased rice yield per acre has been noticed in some States during particular years. A statement showing rice yield in important rice growing such States during nineties is given as Annexure.
(b) The reasons for such yield decline include year to year weather fluctuations, emerging micronutrient deficiencies, decline in soil quality, imbalanced use of fertilizers and higher incidence of diseases and pests. Also, one of the reasons of low productions per acre in Northern Region is cultivation of basmati type (fine grain quality) rice varieties in preference to others, which have comparatively higher yield potential but coarse grain type.
(c) The imbalanced use of fertilizers is one of the reasons leading to decreased rice yield.
(d) The ICAR has developed a well focused programme to improve rice productivity in delta areas. The major components of the programme are: development of better rice varieties with higher yields and tolerance to pests and diseases, evolving suitable agro-techniques, site specific Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) methods and transfer of technology programme.
ANNEXURE
Yield of rice (kg per hectare) in some important rice growing states during nineties.
Year Punjab Haryana Tamil Madhya Orissa Kerala Jammu & Nadu Pradesh Kashmir
1990-91 3229 2775 3116 1121 1210 1942 2086 1991-92 3257 2831 3115 1023 1464 1959 1949 1992-93 3391 2659 3116 1024 1213 2017 1863 1993-94 3507 2732 2841 1164 1452 1878 1863 1994-95 3383 2801 3394 1208 1426 1937 2157 1995-96 3132 2225 2712 1093 1375 2023 1863 1996-97 3397 2968 2672 1101 993 1958 1567 1997-98 3465 2800 3050 834 1380 1957 1992 1998-99 3152 2239 3443 1013 1212 1891 2179 1999-2000 3347 2383 3485 1187 1102 2256 1904
(estimates)