Team Herald
PANJIM: The State government has decided to modify its existing scheme of subsidy to cashew farmers in what is a move to boost the production and productivity of cashews.
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As per the revised scheme, a farmer can purchase cashew plant at 25 per cent of the total cost while 75 per cent will be directly paid by the Agriculture Department to the suppliers.
“Government has decided to grant 75 per cent subsidy on cashew sapling at source as against our current practice of giving the subsidy amount at a later stage. So now, a farmer need not pay 100 per cent cost of cashew sapling and get the subsidy later, instead he can purchase a single plant at 25 per cent of the total cost while the remaining amount will directly be paid by us to the supplier,” Deputy Chief Minister Chandrakant Kavlekar informed at a press conference, on Friday.
The decision, he said, “Is to encourage increase in production and productivity of cashews in the State.”
“We hope the farmers can now buy more and more saplings,” Kavlekar, also Agriculture Minister, added.
In another relief to the farmers, even the non-Krishi Card holders will avail the benefit. As per the data shared by the minister, out of around 60,000 farmers, 22,000 are Krishi Card holders and the revised scheme now covers all the farmers. This however is subject to a condition that the farmer buys minimum 20 cashew saplings.
Earlier, the Gomantak Bhandari Yuva Samiti had petitioned Agriculture Director seeking relaxation of mandatory Krishi Card to avail various agricultural schemes for cashew plantations, etc.
While claiming to solving problems related to agriculture, the minister urged the youth to join farming to reduce Goa’s dependency on other States for fruits and vegetables.
Speaking about the other initiatives of the department, Kavlekar said that during the lockdown the department never kept the offices closed.
“Our officers always respond to any issue that is reported to our department even over social media and print media. Serving the farmers is the prime focus of the department. During lockdown, the department has sold five times more kharif vegetable seed as compared to last year around same time of the year,” he said.
