THE GOAN NETWORK
VALPOI
After nearly eight days of dry weather, farmers across Sattari Taluka have finally received much-needed relief as heavy rainfall lashed several parts of the region on Thursday afternoon. The prolonged dry spell had brought agricultural activities, including paddy cultivation, horticulture, fruit plantation and vegetable farming, to a standstill.
With the return of rain, farmers are hopeful that the delayed plantation work will now resume at a faster pace.
According to sources, although July has already reached its halfway mark, the monsoon has failed to maintain the expected consistency this year.
Following a good spell of rain in early June, many farmers had prepared their fields for paddy cultivation and the plantation of cashew, mango, arecanut (supari), and other fruit-bearing trees. While some plantations had already been completed, the sudden break in rainfall caused newly planted saplings to dry up due to insufficient soil moisture, resulting in significant losses for farmers.
Sattari is known as one of Goa's major agriculture-based talukas. Farmers here cultivate paddy, cashew, mango, arecanut, vegetables, marigold flowers and several seasonal crops.
Owing to its diverse topography, consisting of both hilly and plain regions, the taluka supports a wide range of agricultural activities. However, the erratic rainfall pattern this monsoon has severely disrupted the agricultural calendar.
Over the past decade, coconut cultivation in Sattari has declined considerably due to increasing damage caused by wild animals. Consequently, many farmers have shifted their focus towards arecanut cultivation, which offers comparatively better market returns.
However, young arecanut plantations also require consistent rainfall during the initial growth stage, and the recent dry spell has adversely affected these plantations as well.
Many farmers had also completed land preparation for vegetables, marigold flowers and other cash crops. However, the lack of rainfall forced them to postpone sowing and transplantation activities. In several areas, seeds could not be sown on time, raising concerns about reduced agricultural productivity during the current season.
Sources said that light to moderate showers occurred twice across various parts of Sattari on Wednesday night, providing some moisture to the soil. This was followed by heavy rainfall on Thursday afternoon, significantly improving soil moisture levels and creating favourable conditions for plantation and farming activities.
Drizzling continued until late Thursday evening, bringing renewed optimism among the farming community.
However, the rain stopped again on Thursday night, and agricultural experts believe that one or two days of rainfall alone will not be sufficient. They emphasise that intermittent rainfall over the coming days is essential to sustain soil moisture and ensure healthy crop growth. Otherwise, farmers who resume plantation work now may once again face losses if the dry spell returns.
Experts point out that continuous soil moisture is crucial for successful transplantation of paddy seedlings, the survival of fruit saplings and the germination of vegetable crops. Any prolonged interruption in rainfall at this stage could stunt plant growth and adversely affect crop yields.
