the goan I network
OLD GOA
In a bid to get farmers to pursue inter-cropping system, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday instructed agriculture officers to strive to persuade local farmers to venture into intercropping, particularly turmeric and other spices, by informing them of its benefits and supplementing returns.
Sawant was addressing the concluding the two-day National Seminar on ‘Spices: Emerging Trends in Production, Processing and Marketing’.
The seminar was organized at ICAR Old Goa by the Association for Coastal Agricultural Research, ICAR-Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute-Goa in collaboration with the Directorate of Arecanut and Spices Development, Kerala.
“The two-day seminar on spices is an eye opener, especially for Goan farmers, as they have been given inputs on how spice production in Goa can be enhanced to double their income,” said Sawant.
The chief minister further highlighted the need of proper education to farmers with regards to spice production, its process and marketing.
Dr Remashree, Director of Spice Board, in her address said spice production is suitable to climatic conditions and economical in production.
Good scope
“It has every scope to increase the income of farmers. Spice production faces problems of manpower, pesticide and marketing which needs to be addressed.”
On the occasion, former ICAR directors Dr Korikantimath and Dr Narendra Pratap Singh were felicitated by the chief minister.
The prize for best paper presentation on “Natural Diversity in Kokum (Garcinia Indica) was won by Dr Priya Devi and her team, Kotesh Lamani and Tejayowda Bhanuja, while the second prize was won by Thanka Mani C K who presented paper on ‘’Influence of nutrient management system in microbial diversity and soil fertility of black pepper” with other team members Archana, K Kumar, Srinivasan V and Sarathambal C.
Dr S D Sawant, Vice Chancellor, Dr Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krushi Vidyapith, Dapoli Maharashtra, Dr Nazeer Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, Sher-E-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of J&K, Dr Homeo Cheriyan, Director, DASD, Kozhikode, Dr E B Chakurkar, Director (A) ICAR-CCAR, Goa, Zonal Agricultural Officers of Goa Agriculture Department attended the function. Dr Priya Devi, Principal Scientist, Horticulture, compered.
