Although 120 hectares of paddy fields were cultivated by means of mechanised transplantation in the season gone by through the Margao Zonal Office, farmers are very unhappy with the outside firm for not only failing to undertake the work in time but also for transplanting different varieties in the same field.

Mechanised transplanting was done in Salcete by Fr George Quadros of Don Bosco Society Loutolim and the outisde firm was appointed by the government. Incidentally Mahindra was also appointed by the government for this task, but they did not undertake any work in Salcete.

While the Don Bosco Society undertook transplantation in 100 hectares, the other firm could do only 20 hectares and many farmers in Chicalim and Verna who were supposed to get the transplantation done by the outsiders had to resort to manual transplantation as the company never turned up to do the work assigned.

Besides, many farmers whose transplantation was done the company realised now at the time of harvesting that two different type of paddy crops were transplanted in their fields namely Jaya and Jyoti and while one was ready for harvesting the other was not and farmers were in a dilemma.

Ultimately many of them had to resort to erecting temporary fences between the two type of crops as most harvesting is done by mechanised harvester in present times.

All the farmers where mechanised transplantation was done by Don Bosco Society are happy and many have already harvested their crop as only one variety of paddy was planted and the same was ready for harvesting at the same time.

In keeping with the government’s new policy of subsidising service providers instead of machines, the farmers had to pay the service providers and the government subsequently reimbursed the subsidy amount to the farmers.

While the cost of mechanised transplantation was fixed at Rs 2 per sq mt, individual farmer got a subsidy of 50 per cent while a group of farmers having at least four farmers were given 60 per cent subsidy.

“Preparing the nursery is quite a tedious job and in fact my boys were working for long hours during the season because the mats had to be prepared. In fact our unit had turned into a kind of a factory as we had to prepare and deliver the mats to the place of transportation,” said Fr. George.

When asked why not expand the operations by using the premises and manpower available at the Agriculture College situated at Sulcorna managed by the same society, he said: “The distance is an issue as that place is quite far off and we need some place close to where the transplantation is being done.”

“Being from outside, they did not know the Goan situation and I personally think they were appointed at the last minute not giving them sufficient time to prepare the nursery and other requirements,” said Fr. George commenting on why the outside agencies failed to impress the local farmers.

Mechanised transplantation is yet to take off in Goa due to various factors including the fact that farmers undertake this work manually as a form of barter system where they are not paid wages but contribute their labour to fellow farmer.

Farmers who had opted for mechanised farming for the last seasons have strongly advised the Agriculture Department to appoint only Goans or Goa-based service providers and not to appoint outside agencies as they cannot cope up with the situation.

In fact, one farmer, whose field was taken on lease by an outside service provider to prepare the nursery, refused to allow the prepared mats for any other farmer and in fact destroyed the nursery after his fields were transplanted.

We have not mentioned the name the company as we have not been able to contact it . Herald will readily print the company’s version if it wishes to respond.