PANAJI:
The agriculture department's thrust to bring more land under paddy cultivation has tasted some success in the current year's kharif season (2024-25). Nearly 420 hectares more than what was tilled in the previous year was cultivated, according to data obtained from the agriculture department.
However, yields have dropped significantly which officials attributed to the damage to crops caused by excessive rains and flooding mid-season. Other factors such as damage by wild animals and pest diseases also played a role, the official said.
Over 23,800-odd hectares which were cultivated during the 2024-25 kharif season as compared to 23,400-odd in the previous year but net production fell to 77,769 tonnes of paddy, significantly lower than the 1.1 lakh tonnes produced in the previous kharif season.
While average per hectare yield in the 2023-24 kharif season was 4,335 kilograms, this year it has dropped to 3,766 kilograms per hectare.
"The drop in yields is basically because of the excessive rains Goa had in the month of July when flooding of the fields damaged the standing crops," the official said.
He however said that the State government made direct cash payouts to farmers for this loss.
Some Rs 4.4 crore were paid out to 3,200-odd farmers who had filed crop-loss claims due to the July deluge affecting their paddy crop, he added.
One of the reasons for the increase in area covered by paddy cultivation to the extent of over 450 hectares is the thrust given to mechanisation, which significantly reduces costs virtually eliminating the need for farm labour.
The department provides farmers mechanised services through empanelled vendors for ploughing, transplanting and then harvesting. Throughout the Kharif season, 27,643 farmers availed this assistance costing the department an aggregate of Rs 4.86 crore.
Additionally, over 1,300 farmers were given subsidies to the tune of Rs 2.7 crore to buy their own machinery and equipment, including tractors which helped them cut down labour costs.
The official said the thrust to bring more area under paddy cultivation will continue through awareness campaigns and by promoting new mechanising technologies like mechanised paddy transplanting and agri-drone technology to save costs and double incomes.
