The state has total crop are of 5.2 million hectares and has doing well under the planned efforts to usher in a second green revolution (SGR), Indian agriculture minister, Radha Mohan Singh said recently.
Under the SGR, the central government has included it’s all 38 districts under National Food Security Mission to increase pulses and oilseeds production, Singh said.
Bihar stands second to West Bengal in terms of kharif and rabi production, he said.
Currently the states like Bihar, UP, Jharkhand, Chhatisgarh, West Bengal and Odisha are producing 73 million tonnes of food grain, 3.2 million tonnes of pulses and 1.85 million tonnes of oilseeds, Singh said.
In the eastern region central government had approved $460 million for implementing SGR, Singh adds.
Under this, mechanization of agriculture, developing better seeds and integrated agricultural system, seed replacement, soil management, as well as, supply of electricity to farmers by the state governments will be focused upon.
The minister said, around one-third of the nation's tribal population also live in this region eastern region which accounts for 22 per cent of the country’s area with 34 per cent of the country's population and 33 per cent of animals and SGR would ensure better livelihood for them.
Various institutions under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) are currently engaged in developing better seeds.
ICAR have also developed integrated agriculture models that are providing $1700 to $2500 profit per acre to the farmers.
The eastern region of India produces 50 per cent of the rice, 45 per cent of vegetables and 35 per cent fish in the country.
Under the integrated fish production programme, the yield has increased to three tonnes per hectare against one tonne earlier.
Singh said in dairy production, eastern India produced 15 per cent more milk last year. Through improvement in seeds, production of oil and pulses can be increased by 10 per cent every year.
