Transforming Fallow Fields into Prosperity: Third Phase of Assam's Mega Mustard Project Launched

Nagaon: In a landmark stride towards agricultural transformation, the third phase of Assam’s ambitious “Mega Project for Enhanced Toria-Mustard Production” was ceremoniously inaugurated on Monday at the Zonal Research Centre, Shilongani, under Assam Agricultural University (AAU) in Nagaon. The initiative is a collaborative effort between AAU and the Directorate of Rapeseed-Mustard Research, Bharatpur (ICAR), Rajasthan.

Gracing the occasion, AAU Vice Chancellor Dr. Bidyut Chandan Deka and Nagaon- Batadrava MLA Rupak Sharma emphasized the untapped potential of Assam’s post-paddy fallow lands.

Urging youths to embrace agriculture as a viable and rewarding path, Rupak Sharma said, “We are blessed with a climate conducive to agriculture, yet much of our land lies idle after the rice harvest. By cultivating high-yield mustard varieties, we can turn this into a season of prosperity.”

The project which began in November 2023, has already made remarkable progress. In its first year, 6,900 bighas (920 hectares) across 20 districts were brought under mustard cultivation using improved varieties like TS-38 and PM-28. With Rs.1.18 crore allocated, the initiative showcased scientific farming techniques, village-level seed hubs, and market linkage programs including buyer-seller meets, and farmer-scientist interactions.

Building on this momentum, the second year expanded to 1,000 hectares across 30 districts with Rs-1.11 crore invested. Short-duration rice variety ‘Numali’ enabled double cropping, followed by mustard (TS-38 on 902 ha), rajmah (56 ha), lentils (40 ha), and sesame (2 ha), demonstrating the viability of integrated oilseed farming.

Before the project’s inception, nearly 9–10 lakh hectares of land remained fallow post-paddy. That figure has now dropped to 8.5–9 lakh hectares, signaling a positive shift toward oilseed cultivation. Most notably, mustard yields have surged by 15–27% under scientific practices, validating the project's core strategy.

The event also featured addresses by Dr. Vijay Veer Singh, Director of the Bharatpur Directorate, and Dr. Ashok Kumar Sharma, Principal Scientist, alongside AAU’s Associate Director of Extension Dr. Ranjit Kumar Saud. Dr. Hiranya Kumar Bora welcomed attendees, while Dr. Rudra Narayan Barkakoty and Dr. Pabitra Kumar Bordoloi led the closing acknowledgments. A farmer training manual was also unveiled during the ceremony.

With its focus on double cropping, improved seed adoption, and robust market integration, the Mega Mustard Project is not just cultivating crops, it’s cultivating a new era of agricultural resilience and rural prosperity in Assam.

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