Indian Chamber of Commerce organized Bengal Rice Conclave 2024 at The Park.

The event witnessed three-panel discussions on-

• Best Practice on Farm Management for Quality Rice Production, Seeds, Crop Protection, Micro Irrigation and Climate Issues and Technology
• Sustainable Post-Harvest Practices, Advanced Rice Milling Technologies & Machinery, Efficiency and Productivity in Milling, Modern Rice Storage Techniques
• Market Linkage, Financial Schemes, and Export Possibilities.

Distinguished dignitaries at the event included Shri Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, Hon’ble Minister-In-Charge, Department of Agriculture, Government of West Bengal, Shri Arup Roy, Hon’ble Minister, Department of Food Processing Industries and Horticulture, Government of West Bengal, Shri Pradip Kumar Mazumdar, Hon’ble Minister-in-Charge, Department of Panchayats & Rural Development and Cooperation, Government of West Bengal, Mr. Ashutosh Mondal, Director, Department of Agriculture, Government of West Bengal, Prof. Swapan Dutta, Former, DDG-Crops, ICAR, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, Dr. Amresh Kumar Nayak, Director, National Rice Research Institute (NRRI), Cuttack, and Mr. Shrikant Goenka, Chairman, Agriculture and Food Processing Committee, Indian Chamber of Commerce.

Shri Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, Hon’ble Minister-In-Charge, Department of Agriculture, Government of West Bengal, said “In Bengal, rice is a staple food and accounts for 14% of the country’s rice production. Even with improvements in productivity and means of subsistence, problems with soil health, labor shortages, climate change hazards, poor seed quality, and resource depletion still exist. The state government has launched initiatives including direct-seeded rice (DSR), crop insurance, and climate-resilient seeds. Stress-tolerant, hybrid, and biofortified rice varieties are the subject of research, and sustainable and organic farming methods save resources and enhance soil health. West Bengal farmers get pensions, insurance premiums, and ₹10,000 a year. Research institutes are concentrating on creating rice with less sugar and investigating different ways to cultivate it”.

With such amazing discussions on different topics revolving around rice, the attendees were made aware of the changes happening in this industry.

Priyanka Dutta