Page 93 - Sonbeel Utsab 2024

migration will produce a surplus labour supply which in turn will have a dampening
impact on the average wage rate. Consequently, there is a possibility that the general
wage will tend to fall to the bare subsistence level.

Impact on Livestock
The poultry sector (chicken in particular) of Assam has faced challenges on
two fronts during the lockdown period. First, during the initial days of lockdown, the
demand for poultry shrunk drastically owing to the rumour that consumption of
chicken spreads COVID-19. Second, the farms experienced acute shortage of feeds
supply leading to distress-sale of poultry.
As per the Livestock Census, 2012, the state has about 1.03 crore milch cattle
of which about four lakh (i.e. 3.9 percent) are crossbreed cattle for commercial
rearing. In addition, there are about 4.35 lakh milch buffalos. Milk production in the
state has been 945 million litres in 2018-19 (DES, Government of Assam). Data also
reveal that indigenous cattle account for 53 percent of the total milk production of the
state, while the contribution of crossbreed cattle is 31.5 percent; the rest being
contributed by buffalo (13 percent) and goats (2 percent). Productivity is though low
(per livestock 46.7 litres/year or 0.13 litres per day), the indigenous cattle and
buffaloes are the main source of milk production in the state ensuring household
nutritional security. Productivity of cross-bread cattle on the other hand is much
higher at 746 litres per year or about 2 litres per day per livestock. Study reveals that

about 3 percent milch cow and 2.2 percent buffalo in the state are reared in collective
or cooperative mode. It may, therefore, be said that the production of milk from the
indigenous breed of livestock is primarily used for domestic or local consumption,
and the effect of lockdown should be minimum in this segment.

The Department of Fishery, Government of Assam has put the estimated loss
in the fishery sector at Rs. 160 crore resulting from the lockdown. As per the data of
fishery department, the sector engages about 1.16 lakh fishermen, 408 hatchery
owners, 4799 seed growers, 1361 wholesalers, 16.8 thousand retailers and 13
thousand vendors – all affected more and less by the lockdown. Study estimates that

altogether 8.2 percent households of Assam have ponds and some fish production.
The average area covered by the pond/fisheries is estimated at 1.3 bigha. In addition
there are fisheries operated in cooperatives (one percent with average size is 2.9
bigha) and at contract level (0.7 percent with average size is 7.5 bigha). Monthly
return from the fisheries at household level is estimated at Rs. 1500/ per month. The
fisheries at household level are primarily for self-consumption or return from the
ponds/fisheries is just to supplement household income. The state's fishery
department though provides an estimated loss; the impact of the lockdown could be
much higher on the sector, which would emerge only by the end of the year. The
cultured component of fishery sector may face decline in production and yield
because of the interruption in supply of seeds, fingerlings and feeds at the prime
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