One area one crop
The Government has proposed a new One Area One Crop Scheme. This could be beneficial for commercialization of crops. In Goa we often find mixed crops or crops grown on rotation basis.
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An entire village could take up cultivation of Mint and the area could be called as ‘Khusgao’. Another area can take up growing Ash Melon and the area can be called as, ‘Kuvalem’.
Some farmers have taken up turmeric crop. It can be sold powdered in packets under the brand name, ‘Goa Jaldi Haldi.’
Others can plant Beetroot and market it under the brand name, ‘Beethoven’.
Cultivation of cash crops like Vanilla, Strawberry and Dragon fruit is a good idea and will hopefully bring down their market rates.
Goans can ill afford imported fruits.
In the valleys of Goa where temperatures fall low it may be possible to grow even oranges and apples rather than the usual Betelnut Trees.
In the past there must have been an area with many Coconut Groves and it came to be called as,’Maadgao.’ Today known as Margao.
Vinay Rodrigues, Margao
Price of pao
The price of home-delivered traditional bread (pao) will reportedly go up by Re one and will cost Rs five from October 1. It may be recalled that the price of traditional pao was last hiked from Rs three to Rs four way back in August 2016. Given the increase in the price of raw material, labour and working cost, another hike in the price of pao was always on the cards. While the government has supported other various traditional professions it has failed to support the traditional Goan bakers.
Most of the bakery businesses are being run by family members without any welfare schemes coming from the government. Many old bakeries are in a dilapidated condition and need up-gradation. It is understood that all bakers have been asked to switch over to electric or gas ovens from the wood-fired ones. The decision has been made since use of firewood ovens causes air pollution in the cities.
However given the rising price of LPG gas and electricity charges it remains to be seen as to whether switching over to electric and gas ovens will be a viable option. With the switchover there is every possibility the price of the traditional pao may have to be further increased. It is pertinent to note that the taste of pao baked by electric and gas oven may not be the same as compared to that baked by firewood.
If bakeries using firewood cause air pollution then they could be relocated at a spot outside the cities.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Support our bakers
In a long overdue development, beginning October, the traditional home delivered pao in Goa shall cost Rs 5 a piece from Rs 4 earlier; the last time the price was hiked was way back in 2016. Goan bakers have been struggling to make a living, more so in the last two years of the pandemic.
The government has lent support to various indigenous groups including fishermen, farmers, mining affected, coconut and cashew farmers but for some strange reason bakers have been left out of it’s ambit. The cost of firewood used by native bakers and dough has risen (pun intended ) exponentially these past five years, making things more difficult is the advent of bakers from across the border who peddle cheaper paos made in electric ovens running on subsidised power .The state must extend financial assistance to the baking community for upgradation of ovens, machinery, sanitation standards and efficient marketing.
Further there should be a nominal reservation for children of people pursuing traditional occupations in institutes of technical learning so that they can have a shot at a brighter future. Mornings in Goa are not complete without the honk of the friendly neighbourhood poder’s air horn, this decades old business custom should not be allowed to wither away as has happened with various other occupations.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
Hike price of favorite Goan pao
It was the right decision of the All Goa Baker’s and Confectioners Association to hike in the price of their bakery products from Rs 4 to Rs 5 by October 2, which our Goan pao, Undho, Poie ani kakon will increase by Rs 1.
Each and every single thing is raising in our State just imagine how much a gas cylinder and the vehicles petrol cost in the market in this recent months and we should always keep it in our mind that the bakers are filling the pain as high production cost like the cost of wood etc has gone high. Today there are only few original Goans who are protecting our traditional bakery business. The reason is many of our elders and their children are migrating to UK, USA and other European countries. Our bakery business are run by the outsiders who gives rent to our Goan family. Hats off to our original Poder who are till today protecting our traditional occupation in Goa.
In the olden days early in the morning one can hear the sound of poder but today at the same time you can hear the sound ponk ponk of the fish seller who comes early in the morning. Outsiders have taken all our Goan traditional occupation. For outsiders Goa State has become a mini Gulf.
Request our state government to help and support our traditional occupation Goan bakers to protect the identity. Undho plays a important role in our lives because it feeds not only the rich but also a Poor people and our Goan festival is incomplete without a Pao with a tasty sorpotel.
Ronnie D’Souza, Chandor
India’s bad boy billionaires
The Indian billionaires — Vijay Mallya, Subrata Roy, Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi and Ramalinga Raju— who are in the limelight for their role in money laundering frauds in India, explores the greed, fraud and corruption that built up and ultimately brought down India’s most infamous tycoons.
It takes a closer look at how these billionaires built up their empires and how their financial crimes led to their downfall. These big boys of grand financial deceit captured the imagination of regular Indians with their hyper luxurious, freewheeling and overtly flamboyant lifestyle and in doing so, created a cult status for themselves.
The US streaming company and Netflix released documentary series on ‘Bad Boy Billionaires’. The most glaring of all its faults is the lack of courage. It fails to go beyond the titular figures on which it places so much attention and makes a conscious decision on its part to ignore the institutions and their designed systems that served as a breeding ground for wilful financial defaulters. The ‘Bad Boy Billionaires’ is a 2020 Indian Netflix original documentary anthology web series investigative documentary series discussing the insight, growth and success story of businesses of four most well-known billionaires of India.
K.G.Vilop, Chorao
Is 102% vaccination another jumla?
First the Pramod Sawant Government said they achieved 100% defecation in Goa and now they first claimed 100% vaccination and even increased the number to 102%!
I personally know many people who have not yet taken the vaccine as yet. So is this number of 102% another jumla by the BJP Government?
Matias Lobo, Tivim
