Farmers go slow on paddy sowing in hinterland areas

PANAJI

Farmers in Goa have held back from full-fledged tilling and sowing operations to cultivate paddy in the ongoing Kharif season, particularly in the hinterland talukas where rice fields are on hilly terrain and uplands because the monsoon is yet to gain full momentum in the State.

However, in the coastal talukas where fields are low-lying, the sowing operations have gradually gained steam and the Agriculture department's empanelled service providers in full demand.  

According to Agriculture director Sandeep Fol Desai, in the upper lands in hinterland talukas of Sattari, Bicholim, Sanguem, Quepem and Canacona, farmers are expected to commence operations only after the monsoon gains full momentum.

"In the coastal talukas where the fields are usually khazans and low-lying flooding happens sooner. Therefore, these areas see sowing activities peak earlier," Fol Desai said.

He said, the operations are currently progressing satisfactorily and zonal agriculture officers are closely monitoring it in their respective jurisdictions.

Fol Desai also said that he expects the total coverage in the State to increase in the current kharif season by at least 10 per cent continuing the trend of recent years with farmers incentivised with subsidies for mechanisation of their operations.

Last year, over 23,800-odd hectares were cultivated in the kharif season, nearly 400 hectares more than the 23,400-odd hectares cultivated during the 2023-24 season. Unfortunately, net production and per hectare yields fell due to the extreme weather events 

In the 2024-25 kharif season, Goa's paddy output was 77,769 tonnes which was significantly lower than the 1.1 lakh tonnes produced in the 2023-24 season.

Also, average per hectare yield in the 2023-24 kharif season was 4,335 kilograms and it fell to 3,766 kilograms per hectare in 2024-25.

Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank of India has cautioned that unpredictable weather changes are impacting the country's agro-economy. 

Rainfall, particularly the southwest monsoon, has significantly changed and the frequency of extreme weather events like floods, heatwaves and cyclones, have also increased, RBI has said warning of rice output being impacted.