TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
BICHOLIM: After being hit by a lull in mining activity, many mining-affected families have now been struck by a second blow, this time by the vagaries of nature.
Claiming that a change in weather has drastically affected cashew cultivation, cultivators from Bicholim and Sattari talukas have complained of a low cashew yield this season.
For many people dependent on mining activity in the two talukas, cashew cultivation was being pursued as a secondary occupation.
“Besides our involvement in mining activity, we also cultivated cashew plantations as this seasonal work supplemented our earnings,” Ashok Parab from Pissurlem-Sattari told Herald.
Being a seasonal cultivation, every member of the family would work on the cashew cultivation. When mining activities came to a grinding halt, many people from these areas had hoped that the cashew yield this year would fetch them the much-needed income for their livelihood.
“Since there was no mining-related pollution, we had expected a better cashew yield so that we could offset the losses we had incurred earlier. But all our hopes have been dashed as the weather was such that our cashew yield has been dismal. It is now almost mid-March and many of the cashew saplings are yet to flower,” Parab added.
Added another cashew cultivator, Pandurang Parab, “Last year around this time, we had sold about 50 kgs of cashew nuts, but this year we are still struggling to get even 10 kgs.”
“Cashew is a sun-loving tree and does not tolerate excessive shade. But there has been a drastic change in climate this year.”
“Recently, there was heavy dew in the morning and it also rained. This change in climate has led to a sharp fall in the production of cashew,” added Parab.
Incidentally, the State government has already announced a support price of Rs 100 per kg of cashews, but the farmers are still waiting for their cashew trees to bear fruit.
