OLD GOA
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has plans to make the famed Mancurad mango available to Goans throughout the year and to make available ready-to-eat Goan food.
For that to happen, the institute plans to invent a tetrapack which will preserve it without compromising on its taste, texture and aroma.
“Goa is synonymous with the Mancurad mango and I have been told that it tastes very sweet. But in a year, it is available for only 45 to 60 days,” said ICAR Director Praveen Kumar.
“We are planning to come out with some tetra-packing with the help of other organisations or institutions. We will have collaborations with institutions dealing in post harvest processing so that the Mancurad can be made available throughout the year without it losing its taste, texture and aroma.”
“Plans are also in the offing to make available ready-to-eat Goan food like Goan shrimp curry, duck curry, etc. We have already initiated process to make available ready-to-eat Goan food,” he said.
‘Flying Cocobot’ may replace ‘padeli’: The ‘padeli’ or coconut plucker could soon be out of job, if ICAR’s ‘Flying Cocobot’ technology becomes successful.
The director informed that they have requested for funds from the Centre to develop a working model of ‘Flying Cocobot’.
“In next to three years we will come out with a working model and harvesting coconuts will be drone based henceforth. We are going to leave no stone unturned to develop the technology. Have raised demands with the centre and they have assured help financially,” he added.
When questioned by The Goan whether the ‘Flying Cocobot’ will also be used for toddy tapping also, principal scientist and head (horticulture) Dr A R Dessai said as of now the technology is developed to harvest coconuts, cut leaves and spraying.
“This is a new thing that we have come across and definitely we are going to develop the technology for toddy tapping also,” Dr Dessai stated.
Plans for estuarine cage culture: Stating that there is a good scope for undertaking cage culture in the State, scientist in-charge, animal sciences and fisheries Dr Shrikant stated that ICAR has submitted a proposal to the State government to carry out estuarine cage culture.
“In Goa, we held two to three trials in open sea mariculture. But we have to tackle issue of weather events when planning for open sea maricutlure. Another factor is to take local fishermen onboard for successful cage culture trials,” Dr Shrikant stated.
“There is a good scope for cage culture for three species, namely pearl spot (kalundar), sea bass (chonak) and tamusho,” he informed.
“ICAR has already submitted a proposal to the Goa government to carry out estuarine cage culture which is highly practiced along the coastal region of Kerala, Karnataka and Maharashtra.”
“In Goa because of lack of awareness, there were some shortcomings which we are addressing. We have already identified three places to conduct the trials,” he added and stated that these trials will be done in collaboration with institutes like Kerala Institute of Fisheries and Ocean Studies and Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute.
Goan sausage to get GI tag soon: The Goan pork sausage could soon get a Geographical Indication (GI) tag as the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has already initiated this process.
ICAR Director Praveen Kumar informed that GI tags have already been granted to Goa’s cashew feni in 2009, Khola chilli and Myndoli (Moira) banana in 2019.
“The process for getting GI tag for Goan pork sausage is under process and the same will be achieved very soon,” he added.
