However, a recent study con ducted by a team of professors from Punjab University got everyone to sit up and take notice when it recorded that the state's agriculture sector had shown the highest growth in the country. The Nitish Government is now determined to give the sector all the push it can.

Problems afflicting the state's agri-sector are plenty. Despite being blessed with fertile soil and abundant water, production remains very low. The Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Mangla Rai, pointed out during the conclave that the state produced an average 21 quintals of wheat per hectare compared to 42 quintals by Punjab.

Another roadblock is the non-availability of a market for the farmers' produce. The Chief Minister pointed out that the roadmap addresses this problem.

Apart from farming, the other stress area for the state is the dairy sector. With the state-owned Sudha dairy scripting a phenomenal success story, Deputy Chief Minister and concerned minister Sushil Kumar Modi hoped that against the present one lakh litres per day, milk collection will increase up to 12 lakh litres/day by 2012.

State's Planning Board Vice-Chairman N K Singh said the roadmap for development of the agriculture sector will be included in the state's 11th Five Year Plan and tabled in the state Assembly. He added that the agriculture sector has to grow by 4 to 6 per cent to increase the state's GDP rate to 8.5 per cent.

Farmers came up with varied suggestions at the conclave.

Prominent ones being imparting industry status to agriculture, setting up of modern rice mills, development of basmati rice and plantation of aromatic plants, improvement in irrigation system, as well as seeds and cooperative societies.