PANAJI
Early reports from across Goa have brought welcome relief to farmers, with low-lying paddy fields and traditional khazan lands recording better-than-expected kharif yields despite a season marked by deficient rainfall.
Agriculture Department officials said harvesting is progressing steadily, and initial assessments indicate a “good harvest” in several parts of the State. The encouraging performance has been largely attributed to ability of low-lying fields and khazan lands to retain moisture during prolonged dry spells. “Good moisture retention appears to be the key reason behind the better yields being reported by farmers,” a zonal agriculture officer in North Goa said.
Upland concerns
However, concerns remain over the condition of paddy grown in the State’s higher-lying morod lands.
Agriculture Director Chandrahas Desai said around 20 to 25 hectares of paddy cultivation in these upland areas are expected to register poor yields due to inadequate rainfall. “It will not be a total crop loss, but productivity will be significantly affected,” Desai said, adding that the department is closely monitoring and surveying the affected areas.
According to Desai, extended periods of sunshine during breaks in the monsoon also aided crop growth in low-lying fields where sufficient soil moisture was available. “Yields have been good and higher than initial expectations,” he said.
Harvesting continues
Low-lying and khazan lands account for the bulk of Goa’s kharif paddy cultivation. Nearly 60 per cent of the State’s paddy area falls within these moisture-rich zones, making their performance crucial to overall production.
Harvesting operations are expected to continue for another fortnight before a clearer picture of Statewide output emerges. Ground reports from farming communities broadly align with the Agriculture Department’s assessment.
In Curtorim, agriculturist and farmer mentor Santan Rodrigues described the season as a mixed one, with low-lying fields significantly outperforming upland areas. He said paddy fields surrounding the historic Curtorim lake have produced strong yields, thanks to traditional lake-based irrigation systems maintained over generations.
Rodrigues noted that a similar pattern is visible across the village, where well-watered fields have delivered healthy harvests while rain-dependent upland tracts have struggled.
