Ponda: While most families nowadays are moving away from the joint family culture of yore, there is a 25-member strong family in Marcaim that not only lives together, but takes pride in their traditional cashew, mango and paddy related activities.
The head of the family is former Sarpanch Bholu Naik, who is a farmer from Mahalwada Marcaim. When it comes to cashew, they are involved in activities ranging from collecting cashew nut to Feni distillation and they are not concerned that the prevailing circumstances have made it difficult for them to sustain this livelihood and they are worried about their source of income.
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Bholu blames unfavorable weather conditions, pollution from Marcaim-based industries and other factors that have reduced production by fifty per cent in recent times. Elaborating further, he referred to how it was once profitable and that a decade ago, farmers would draw attractive revenue from their bountiful produce.
He also rued the fact that the cost of labour has also increased and that the government should support them in form of subsidy. He explained that it costs them Rs 700 per labourer on a daily basis to carry out cleaning, clearing and other maintenance-related activities.
The rate of Rs 105 per kg is not adequate and the government should give at least Rs 140 to Rs 150 per kg if not a higher amount, to bear the cost of cashew production.
While the 85-year-old Naik is proud that his family including grandchildren are involved in the family business, he is concerned about the future of this business not just for him but across Goa.
Pointing out that he learnt the art of making Feni and Urrack from his father, he said he has experience of 65 years at the famous farm based at his residence itself, called Caju Bhatti.
He also regretted that nowadays, there is ‘duplicate Urrack and Feni’ sold in the market, which spoils the image of the sector. While explaining the ways of making Feni and Urrack and how one can determine if the quality is not good, Naik added that his family also cultivates paddy and that they harvest a bumper crop every year. He made this point to talk about the fact that farmers of all type crops need government support given the problems faced by them.
Concurring with Bholu, other locals from Marcaim such as Namdev Naik called on the government and private companies to help the farmers with subsidies, facilities and other forms of assitance.
