PANAJI
While concerns over deficient rainfall and extended dry spells persist, farmers and agriculture experts across Goa offer a mixed assessment of its likely impact on the kharif season, particularly paddy cultivation.
Traditional farmer mentor Santan Rodrigues of Curtorim said paddy fields in his area have largely withstood the rainfall shortfall so far. According to him, the impact has been limited mainly to 'morod' lands, while cultivation in the region remains largely stable.
Rodrigues attributed this resilience to centuries-old water management systems established by previous generations. He pointed to the network of lakes, bunds and natural drainage channels (nullahs) that continue to conserve water and support agriculture even during periods of low rainfall.
"Our ancestors planned the watershed with vision. Water is still being retained and community efforts are helping sustain cultivation through traditional methods," he said, expressing confidence that the same systems would also support the upcoming rabi season.
Veteran agriculturist, botanist and former agriculture officer Miguel Braganza echoed the view that the situation remains manageable for now.
"So far, so good," he said, noting that paddy crops have not yet suffered significant damage.
However, Braganza cautioned that paddy requires adequate rainfall during the grain-filling stage. A prolonged lack of rain at this critical period could result in the formation of chaffy ear-heads, locally known as 'poll' or paul, reducing grain yields.
He added that other crops and fruit-bearing plants have so far shown no visible impact from the rainfall deficit.
Not all observers are equally optimistic. Agriculturist Nestor Rangel warned that the combination of deficient rainfall and long dry spells could take a toll on paddy production. According to him, farmers may witness a higher incidence of 'poll', where grains fail to fill properly, directly affecting net yields.
The differing assessments have a common theme: While Goa's traditional water conservation systems have helped cushion the immediate effects of a weaker monsoon, the final outcome for paddy farmers will depend heavily on rainfall patterns in the remaining weeks of the Kharif crop cycle.
