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Agricultural Advisories for Northeast India

By Kamal Jeet | August 14, 2025

Introduction

The following advisories are sourced from the National Agromet Advisory Service Bulletin, issued by the Agricultural Meteorology Division, India Meteorological Department, Pune. These guidelines aim to assist farmers in Northeast India, covering Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura, in managing their crops, livestock, and fisheries effectively during the anticipated weather conditions from August 8 to August 12, 2025.

General Weather-Based Advisories

Due to the likelihood of rain and thundershowers across Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura over the next five days, with heavy to very heavy rainfall expected at isolated places, farmers are advised to take specific precautions. Heavy rainfall is anticipated in Arunachal Pradesh for the next three days, in Assam and Meghalaya on August 8, 11, and 12, and in Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura within the next 48 hours. Additional heavy rainfall is expected in Assam and Meghalaya on August 9 and 10, and in Arunachal Pradesh on August 11 and 12, 2025. Farmers should postpone irrigation, intercultural operations, and the application of plant protection measures and fertilizers to standing crops. Proper drainage in crop fields is essential to prevent waterlogging.

State-Specific Crop Advisories

Arunachal Pradesh

  • Field Management: Ensure proper drainage in fields of paddy, okra, chili, beans, cucumber, and in kiwi and apple orchards to avoid waterlogging.
  • Sowing and Fertilization: Postpone sowing of finger millet and avoid applying fertilizers and pesticides during this period.

Assam

  • Hill Zone:
    • Conduct weeding in sesame fields around 20 days after sowing using a khurpi or hoe.
    • Maintain proper drainage channels in sugarcane fields.
    • Monitor Sali rice for blast infestation. If 5% of the leaf area is damaged, apply Hexaconazole 5EC at 2ml per liter of water at the tillering stage, followed by two sprays of Edifenphos at 1ml per liter of water at the panicle initiation stage and when the panicle tip emerges, during clear weather.
  • Lower Brahmaputra Valley Zone:
    • Perform gap filling in rice by splitting healthy hills of the same age if damage is observed.
    • Apply Urea at 4.5kg per bigha at the tillering stage during rain-free weather.
    • Continue sowing red gram, green gram, and sesame.
    • Ensure proper drainage in highland red gram fields to remove excess water.
    • Undertake nursery sowing of early cauliflower and brinjal, utilizing available soil moisture.
  • Upper Brahmaputra Valley Zone:
    • Complete transplanting of Sali rice seedlings, using 4-5 seedlings per hill.
    • Sow green gram, black gram, and sesame under optimal soil moisture conditions.
    • For areas where sowing is delayed or crops are damaged, undertake nursery sowing of Sali rice by mid-August, selecting late-sowing or very short-duration varieties.
  • Barak Valley Zone:
    • Complete transplanting of 25-30-day-old Sali rice seedlings by August 15, planting 2-3 seedlings per hill.
    • Perform manual weeding 25-30 days after transplanting.
    • Postpone cauliflower sowing during moderate to heavy rainfall.
  • Central Brahmaputra Valley Zone:
    • Continue transplanting Sali rice.
    • Address potassium deficiency in Sali paddy, indicated by reddish tip symptoms, by applying MOP at 37.5 kg per hectare and spraying 2% KCl solution on leaves during moisture stress.
    • Delay sowing of sesame, green gram, and radish until rainfall subsides.
  • North Bank Plain Zone:
    • Continue transplanting short-duration Sali rice.
    • Drain excess water in low-lying areas for better aeration.
    • Control rice hispa and other pests like leaf folder, case worm, and army worm by spraying Chlorpyriphos 20EC or Quinalphos 25EC at 2.0-2.5 ml per liter of water during clear weather.
    • Install 7-8 bamboo ‘T’ perches per bigha in paddy fields.
    • Complete sowing of sesame, early cauliflower, and broccoli in seedbeds by August 15.
    • Provide mechanical support to papaya, banana, and lemon plants.

Meghalaya

  • Ensure proper drainage in fields of rice, maize, okra, bottle gourd, chili, and turmeric to prevent waterlogging.
  • Clear field channels to facilitate smooth runoff during heavy rainfall.

Nagaland

  • Maintain clean drainage channels in rice fields to avoid waterlogging.
  • Harvest mature maize before rainfall, avoiding immediate post-shower harvesting. Dry cobs thoroughly in the sun before shelling.
  • Ensure proper drainage in colocasia and tapioca fields.

Mizoram

  • Maintain drainage channels to remove excess rainwater and keep water levels at 4-6 cm in lowland rice fields.
  • Harvest mature maize cobs promptly to prevent disease infection during moderate to heavy rainfall.

Tripura

  • Apply the first split dose of Urea at 10kg per kani of rice, avoiding application during rain. Perform weeding before fertilization.
  • Remove weeds around paddy crops.
  • Conduct weeding in groundnut at the vegetative stage with minimal soil disturbance during peg formation.
  • Prevent water stagnation in groundnut and vegetable fields.

Manipur

  • Monitor paddy fields for insect pest infestations and maintain water levels using manual weeding or a cono-weeder.
  • Prevent waterlogging in maize, finger millet, soybean, black gram, ginger, turmeric, vegetables, and orchards.
  • Perform weeding after rains when soil moisture is optimal and monitor for insect pests.

Animal Husbandry

  • Nagaland:
    • Remove stagnant water to prevent mosquito breeding.
    • Minimize vegetation around buildings and yards to reduce mosquito resting and breeding sites.
    • Regularly clean spilled feed and manure to deter mosquitoes.

Fisheries

  • Assam:
    • Farmers yet to release fingerlings should release Rahu (108 nos.), Silver carp (136 nos.), Catla (108 nos.), Grass carp (70 nos.), Mrigal (136 nos.), and Common carp (136 nos.) per bigha of fish pond.
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