NT NETWORK
PANAJI
A majority of farmers in Goa have adapted themselves to mechanisation, with traditional farming implements like bullock and plough as well as spade and pickaxe being replaced with tractors and power tillers.
Coming out with this information, director of agriculture Ulhas Pai Kakode said that the government has, therefore, made all preparations to provide the local farmers with tractors as well as power tillers, with monsoon round the corner. “We have our own tractors and power tillers, which are rented out to the farmers, at the rate of Rs 500 per hour and Rs 200 per hour, respectively,” he added, pointing out that the farmers are entitled to a subsidy of 50 per cent on this facility, and should contact the taluka level in-charge of the agriculture department for availing the same.
Speaking to ‘The Navhind Times’ on Friday, the director of agriculture said that in general, the number of bullocks in the state is reducing which is the main reason for farmers turning to mechanised farming. “Presently, farmers having fields in the uplands either use bullocks and plough or spade, while others prefer mechanised farming,” he noted.
It was also mentioned that paddy transplanting machine is gaining popularity among Goan farmers and the department of agriculture is providing two to three such machines in its possession to the local farmers. “We are further making efforts to provide such large number of machines to the farmers from this season,” Kakode said.
Goa has approximately 28,000 hectares of land under paddy cultivation during monsoon, and the land used for the purpose is growing every year.
The director of agriculture said that the government is promoting use of organic manure in cultivation. “We already have a related scheme called ‘Development of manures and fertilisers’ in place, which has just been notified, even though it has been implemented for quite some time,” he said, adding that under the first cycle of the scheme, nearly 25,000 local farmers have been covered for soil testing.
Furthermore, it was informed that nearly 23,000 of these farmers have already been issued soil health cards. The second cycle of the scheme will commence later this month.
Maintaining that the analysis report of the soil is provided to the respective farmers, Kakode said that the soil health cards also carry recommendations to the farmers as regards their soil.
“Unfortunately, nowadays, the local farmers are rarely using traditional organic manure because just like ayurvedic medicines they have slow effect on the cultivated crops,” the director of agriculture observed, pointing out that besides cattle manure, the farmers are encouraged to use other organic fertilisers such as neem cakes, vermi-compost, bio-pesticides, bio-fertilisers and so on, in place of chemical fertilisers like urea (15:15:15). He also mentioned that the department of agriculture gives 50 per cent subsidy on organic inputs to the farmers.
Speaking further, Kakode said that the department has also made all arrangements to provide Jaya, Jyoti and Karjat paddy seeds at 50 per cent subsidy to the local farmers. “These main varieties have been made available at Goa Bagayatdar, Pernem Taluka Farmers Society and Goa Krishi Bazar,” he added.
The director of agriculture also informed that efforts are being made to bring maximum Khazan lands under cultivation and Kurgut variety of rice is being promoted for cultivation in such lands. “And then the vegetable seeds have also been made available for farmers with various centres and dealers,” he concluded.