MARGAO: Most farmers across the State were hit the most as heavy rains destroyed paddy crops leaving most fields inundated.
There has been extensive damage to paddy, which was sown recently and continuous downpour has destroyed horticulture crops too.
Farmers from across Goa were left in a state of distress after their plantations got submerged with the incessant rains destroying the fruits.
Former agriculture director and agriculturist Sachin Tendulkar informed that the incessant rains have destroyed the areca nut crop this year. “60 percent of my crop has been hit. I am not sure what will be the impact on my plantation,” Tendulkar wondered.
Paddy farmers across Goa have suffered huge losses. Some have blamed the Agriculture Department while the rest have attributed the same to incessant rains.
Curtorim too has taken the beating due to incessant rains. Till Thursday at least 60 paddy farmers were affected with over 90 per cent of the fields destroyed. Rupesh Naik, treasurer of the local tenants’ association of Curtorim complained that they have incurred a loss in lakhs of rupees which they had spent on the fields.
Known as the granary of Salcete, Curtorim has been hit the most. It’s been 4 days since the fields have been inundated. “The system of Agriculture Department has failed the farmers. The planning is expected to flow from down to the top and not the manner in which the department operates now,” said J Santano Rodrigues, the Chairman of Curtorim Biodiversity Committee. He informed that the fields that they had cultivated recently with an initiative of the committee too got inundated.
Tendulkar suggested that it is time for Government machinery especially the Agriculture Department to be proactive and assess the damage caused to the farmers.
“Farmers, who are fully dependent on farming, have incurred a huge loss this year,” he added.
