the goan I network
MARGAO
A new rice de-husking machine developed in Pune has attracted the attention of the Goa government with both Agriculture Minister Chandrakant Kavlekar and Director of Agriculture, Madhav Kelkar mulling subsidy to purchase the machine for the benefit of the Goan farming community.
A demonstration held at Nuvem at the initiative of MLA Wilfred D’Sa saw the Agriculture Minister and Agriculture Director evincing keen interest in the rice mill, with the Agriculture Director saying the mill promises to give huge returns to Goan farmers and develop the rural ecology.
With the mill churning out unpolished rice, Kelkar said the unpolished rice is not only good for health, but has great value if marketed properly. “The machine appears good. Unpolished rice is the best for health. This rice has great value. If the produce goes to the malls, farmers will get huge price,” Kelkar said.
Kavlekar said the department will not hesitate to come out with a subsidy scheme for farmers towards the purchase of the rice de-husking machine, provided the manufacturer sets a standard price.
“The government can consider granting subsidy for the machine ranging between Rs 75,000 to Rs 90,000 if the machine cost is pegged at around Rs 1 lakh. This machine will help the farmers greatly and give them a better price for their produce,” Kavlekar said.
The Agriculture Minister pointed out that the machine will come in handy for farmers with the government sanctioning 500 organic clusters across the state, wherein organic farming will take place on 10,000 hectares, while thanking Nuvem MLA Wilfred D’Sa for his initiative to get the rice de-husking machine in Goa.
The Nuvem MLA said the Agriculture Minister and the Director of Agriculture were invited for the demonstration cum inauguration of the rice de-husking machine so that the government works out a subsidised scheme to take the machines to the villages for the benefit of the farming community.
“I feel that the government should come out with a subsidized scheme for the machine on the lines of harvesters, power tillers, etc as the machine not only churns out brown rice, which is good for health, but promises to provide better rate for the farmers,” Wilfred said.
