Use of salinity-resistant paddy seeds bears fruit in Durga

Amidst the lockdown, the Durga ward in Chinchinim village, nestled between a picturesque mountain range and a tributary of river Sal, is waiting with bated breath, but for a different reason “ to harvest a bumper paddy crop in the coming days.

Local residents and agricultural officials from the Krishi Vigyan Kendra are bubbling with optimism that their attempt to revive paddy cultivation on the fallow farm owned by the government after four decades will finally bear fruit.

Officials and the residents alike expect a bumper paddy harvest on the 3.5-hectare area under cultivation. That’s all. Officials say the success will hopefully spur local farmers to go in for khazan land paddy cultivation around the government farm.

The KVK headed by Sanjeev Mayenkar says harvesting of the paddy on the government farm may take place tentatively during the weekend as the Kendra is expected to get a mechanical harvester. “The use of the salinity resistant paddy seeds has shown results, which may now help revive agricultural khazan and wetlands of the state.”

‘We had tested Goadhan-4 seeds at the Durga and it has given encouraging results. Goadhan-4 is a cross between Jyoti and our red local Korgut. It performs better and the quality of yield is above three tonnes per hectare,” Mayenkar added.

The produce, Mayenkar said, will not be sold in the market, but the seeds will be preserved for cultivation across the khazan and wetlands. The government had acquired the Durga farm over four decades ago, but the over four-hectare land was lying fallow since then. The land subsequently came in possession of the KVK around 13 years ago before the locals and the team led by Mayenkar evinced interest in reviving paddy cultivation.

Local resident Gerson Gomes said, “Since our childhood, we have seen agriculture going into decay. There were several coconut trees which used to give two truckloads of yield. Now, one can count only a couple of trees. Against this backdrop, it’s a miracle of sort to see the farm with full-grown paddy ready for harvest.”