Guwahati: Assam will distribute makhana seeds from Feb 2027 and 7 crore fruit saplings next season to boost farm incomes.Agriculture and irrigation minister Pijush Hazarika on Monday said makhana cultivation would be promoted across the state in “mission mode”, with Assam having the potential to become a major producer.Though Bihar currently leads makhana production, Assam can focus on it alongside fisheries, he said.“Makhana could provide farmers with an additional source of income alongside fisheries,” the minister said, adding that while fisheries could generate around Rs 1 lakh per bigha, makhana could potentially provide an additional Rs 40,000–Rs 50,000 per bigha.The govt will distribute around 7 crore fruit saplings, including coconut and other varieties. Special distribution of coconut saplings will begin this year in Sivasagar and Charaideo.Assam is seeking to become a horticulture hub by promoting fruits and other high-value crops alongside rabi cultivation. Hazarika highlighted the demand for Assam’s litchi in international markets and stressed the need to expand production.Addressing around 250 farmers, he urged them to continue paddy cultivation while adopting double and triple cropping and diversifying into faster-maturing, high-value crops requiring less land.Around 21% of Assam’s agricultural land is irrigated. The govt aims to increase this by another 20% over five years.It has proposed externally aided projects worth Rs 5,000 crore for agriculture and Rs 6,000 crore for irrigation.Hazarika said farmers’ suggestions would inform the department’s five-year roadmap. Quarterly interactions with farmers will gather field-level inputs.
