the goan I network
PANAJI
Union Ayush Minister, Shripad Naik, on Thursday hailed the Narendra Modi government’s decision to hike the Minimum Support Price for several kharif crops and said it would help the distressed farm sector in the country while also boosting agriculture in Goa.
Naik, who represents the North Goa parliamentary constituency, said the hike will ensure paddy farmers will get nearly 150% of their input costs for the yield of the paddy crop they sow.
“It will ensure small and marginal farmers could earn a profit of Rs 2-3 lakhs in a single sowing season,” Naik said at a press conference held at the state BJP headquarters.
When informed that MSP of paddy in Goa was already at Rs 2000/quintal while the MSP paid by the Centre will now stand at Rs 1900/quintal, Naik said the state government would possibly consider a further increase in MSP so that Goan farmers get some additional benefit.
He opined that the Centre’s move to increase MSP could potentially boost the farming sector in Goa as well.
Goa also has the potential to make big strides in floriculture as well as cultivation of other cash crops like vegetables.
Growing high-value medicinal plants is also a lucrative option, he added.
Asked for his opinion on the recent trend of ministers and legislators getting into the fields and physically engaging in sowing operations in response to a ‘challenge’ thrown by a South Goa sarpanch, Naik said it could to an extent help motivate locals into farming.
