MARGAO
The yield is good, if not bumper, but Salcete’s countryside is reverberating with cries of farmers, but for a different reason “ to review the over-decade-old support price for paddy.
Farmers say a hike in support price will cover the labour cost and help bring more fallow land under cultivation. The agriculture department, on the other hand, says the support price for paddy is based on the central government’s minimum support price policy, an argument that has not found favour with the farmers, who are clear in saying that Goa should be considered on a different footing given the high labour cost that makes agriculture unviable.
Indeed, right from Curtorim, the granary of Salcete to Chinchinim, which is now on a mission to bring the fallow comunidade fields under cultivation, farmers have come up with a one-point demand “ increase the support price of paddy before the younger generation starts viewing paddy cultivation as a good option.
President of Chinchinim comunidade Agnelo Furtado said there’s an urgent need to review the support price for paddy to offset the cost of production, including labour.
“Because of inflation, the cost of paddy cultivation has gone up. The less said of labour is better. To offset the inflation, the only way to bail out the farmers is to hike the support price,” he said.
With the Chinchinim comunidade setting the target to bring 170 acres of land under paddy cultivation in the village, Furtado said an increase in support price will motivate farmers and help bring additional land under cultivation.
President of a Curtorim-based tenants association, Milagres Menezes echoed similar sentiments. With the agricultural activity yielding encouraging results, Milagres, however, lamented that the government has not been supportive in reviewing the support price.
“The support price for paddy was fixed over a decade ago. The farmers should get a decent and remunerative return for their efforts. Otherwise, paddy and agricultural production will not attract the younger generation in the coming years,” Milagres warned.
Supporting the views of the farmers, Paddy Man Fr George Quadros, attached to Don Bosco Society, said the support price of Rs 20 was fixed over a decade ago. He said the government should think fast, warning it would only worsen the situation on the agricultural front if the government delays in effecting a hike.
Fr Quadros added: “What the farmers want from the government is a basic assurance that the support price for paddy will be raised on priority. If not, everybody will think paddy is not a good option at all.”
Once a spot of stink, Digaum bandh
emerges as symbol of reviving agri
MARGAO
The very mention of Digaum bandh on the National Highway 66 at Chinchinim reminds one of stink and waste dumping. For, the bandh and the water body had come in handy for unscrupulous elements to dispose of waste over the years.
Digaum bandh today has emerged as a symbol of joint initiative in reviving agriculture, which may catapult Chinchinim a model village in bringing fallow agricultural fields back to cultivation.
Indeed, smiles lit the faces of the stakeholders, the Chinchinim comunidade officials led by president Agnelo Furtado, Paddy Man Fr George Quadros, politicians including Velim MLA Cruz Silva and the land owners as a harvester went about the job of harvesting paddy in the fields adjoining Digaum bandh.
For 30 long years, these agricultural fields remained fallow for want of cultivation, before the Chinchinim comunidade and its president Agnelo came up with the idea of bringing the fallow land under cultivation.
It wasn’t an easy job for Furtado and his team as they had to convince the tenants, assuring them there won't be any change in the land title if the fields are brought under cultivation.
“With the help of Paddy Man Fr George Quadros, we took the initiative with a target to cultivate 170 acres of fallow land. We fell short of our target, but we have made a good beginning by bringing the vast tracks of fields under cultivation,” he said.
With the efforts bearing good fruit in terms of yield, Furtado and his team now plan to go for two crops on the land, besides watermelon and vegetable production.
Fr Quadros is not only satisfied with the success of the Digaum bandh experiment but is on record saying that Chinchinim could emerge as a model village in bringing agricultural fallow land under cultivation.
“I am very happy because today is harvesting time. There’s nothing like getting a good crop for the first year after so many years at this place. I am especially happy because I could see for the first time all the stakeholders together, the local comunidade, MLA, WRD Minister etc. Everybody has put their hands together.”
He added: “We have not seen this happening in any other village. This is going to be a model for Goa simply because the comunidade, local politicians, the minister and the stakeholder cooperated and coordinated to review the fallow fields.”
AAP Velim MLA Cruz Silva was all praise for the comunidade president Agnelo Furtado and Paddy Man Fr Quadros for organising the farmers to form clubs.
“They must have encountered hurdles along the way, but they have surmounted them all. The result they have got today is of their hard labour,” he said adding, “The balance land will be brought under cultivation in the ensuing season.”
Cruz said WRD Minister Subhash Shirodkar has promised support to take agriculture forward at Digaum bandh by constructing a ramp.
Working on lowering cost of production
to increase farmers’ income: Fr Quadros
MARGAO:
With the government's focus on agriculture centred on doubling the farmers' income, Paddy Man Fr George Quadros has said he is working on another principle “ lowering the cost of production to increase the farmers’ income.
He said lowering the cost of production will make agriculture viable, warning: “If not, agriculture will not be viable. Everyone will tell you.”
Hence, he said lowering the cost of agriculture production will not only increase the income of farmers but bring double the area of agriculture fields under production.
He added: “We have gone into mechanisation since labour is expensive and not readily available. Our youngsters may not go into the fields since it is a difficult job and not very remunerative. But, we have changed the concept into mechanisation, right from tractors to harvesters, and transplanters, drones etc.”
