PANAJI
Goa’s kharif paddy farmers have weathered a difficult monsoon season, with the State government now expecting crop losses to be significantly lower than initially feared despite deficient rainfall linked to the El Niño phenomenon.
With harvesting nearly complete across the State, Agriculture Director Chandrahas Dessai said paddy yields are expected to decline by 15 to 20 per cent.
“Harvesting operations are complete to the extent of about 80 per cent,” Dessai told The Goan. He said harvesting was yet to be completed in a few pockets of Quepem, Sanguem and Canacona talukas.
The delay was attributed to the late arrival of the monsoon, which pushed back sowing operations in these areas.
Agriculture officials had earlier expressed concern over the deficient monsoon and its impact on the State’s staple kharif crop. However, preliminary field assessments suggest that the damage may be less severe than anticipated.
“We expect yields to drop but not by much. The department’s estimation is that the yields may drop by 15% or at the most 20%,” Dessai said.
The Agriculture Department has also begun receiving applications from farmers reporting crop losses due to inadequate rainfall. Around 30 applications have been submitted so far, according to Dessai.
“We will assess those applications and pay compensation after zonal officers quantify the yields of these farmers,” he said.
The assessment comes against the backdrop of Goa’s substantial kharif paddy cultivation area. Official agricultural data put the area under kharif paddy at 23,455 hectares last year, making it the State’s largest seasonal crop by area.
Government records show that the area under kharif paddy has remained relatively stable in recent years, ranging between 22,500 and 24,500 hectares.
Despite the rainfall deficit, intermittent showers during critical growth stages appear to have helped the crop, preventing a sharper decline in yields.
Paddy cultivation remains central to Goa’s agricultural economy and rural livelihoods, particularly in traditional farming belts across South Goa and parts of North Goa. Although an estimated yield decline of up to 20 per cent would still affect growers, officials believe the outcome will be considerably better than the worst-case scenarios anticipated earlier in the season.
The Agriculture Department is expected to complete its final assessment after harvesting concludes in the remaining areas and field officers submit crop-loss verification reports.
