Team Herald
PANJIM: Almost 1,200 hectares (ha) of crops belonging to 2,800 farmers of Bardez, Bicholim and Pernem talukas were destroyed due to the recent incessant rain and flooding. The total financial loss is to the tune of Rs 5.5 cr in these three talukas.
The State agriculture department’s preliminary findings in the three talukas have revealed that almost every crop here has been destroyed. While the water level is yet to subside totally, the final estimate will be known by August 16.
Days after heavy rains lashed Goa with fields inundated, Deputy Chief Minister Chandrakant Kavlekar, who holds the agriculture portfolio, on Wednesday visited flood affected areas of the three talukas and interacted with farmers, whose farms has been destroyed.
Government is considering increasing the crop damage compensation rate from Rs 25,000 per hectare to Rs 40,000 per hectare for paddy and Rs 800-1000 per banana tree from existing Rs 400.
The agriculture dominated Thivim and villages in Pernem and Bicholim taluka were the worst affected by the floods, as entire farms, their only source of living, being destroyed. Paddy, which was sowed just last month during the season, is reported to have been worst hit, followed by banana plantations.
Speaking to Herald, Kavlekar said that as per the preliminary findings of the Zonal Agricultural Officer (ZAO), in these three talukas itself the total loss is to the tune of Rs 5.5 crore.
In Pernem, farm area of 580 hectares, cultivated total 1300 farmers, has been damaged with total loss of Ra 2.5 crore. In Bicholim, 700 farmers are affected, with loss to 400 hectares of crops estimated at Rs 2 crore.
In Bardez, the total loss is of Rs 1 crore to 875 farmers, who crops of 265 hectares are damaged.
“The final report of all the 12 talukas with estimated loss will be ready by August 16,” Kavlekar said.
He said that he met farmers from Thivim, Bicholim, Pernem and realized that their entire farms have been destroyed completely. “The people here were cultivating paddy, bananas, local vegetables,” he said.
Kavlekar said that during his visit, he came across the fact that the compensation towards crop damage given for paddy and banana is very low and hence farmers want the same to be increased. “We also feel that the rates given are very low and as a special case, needs to be increased,” he said.
“We will ensure that maximum compensation is given to the farmers for their crops,” he said.
The Minister was accompanied by the team of agriculture officers. “Once the report is submitted and we know the exact loss, I will sit with Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and decide on the compensation,” Kavlekar said.
