Climate variations, heatwave hit cashew yield in Salcete, farmers staring at huge losses

Team Herald

MARGAO: The strange weather fluctuations Goa is experiencing currently has badly affected the cashew yield in Salcete taluka, that too at a time when the cashew farmers were hoping for a profitable season. 

Cashew farmers are now struggling to recover from the losses they incurred at the start of the season.Meanwhile, Agriculture Department officials fear that the farmers may end up suffering huge losses, if the erratic weather continues in the coming days. 

To make matters worse, fire incidents have damaged cashew plantations in several places across Salcete, or prevented workers from harvesting their produce, adding to the farmers’ woes. 

In Salcete, areas like Curtorim, Raia, Loutolim, Camorlim, Macazana and Paroda witness major cashew production as large numbers of farmers here are engaged in the traditional occupation of cashew cultivation. 

Speaking to O Herald, a few farmers have claimed that many of their plants have not yet begun to produce cashew apples. It is pertinent to note that March is considered peak season for the cashew crop; however, the fluctuation in climate has resulted in abysmally low fruiting. Farmers say they also observed late flowering due to the unexpected weather patterns this year. 

“Yes, March is usually peak season for cashew crops in Goa and we are usually extremely busy this time of the year. However, the sudden change in climate has resulted in low yield. The cashew yield was supposed to be on the higher side this year, but at the moment, the graph, and our hopes are falling,” said Fr Joaquim Fernandes of the SVD Ashram at Raia, which is engaged in large-scale cashew production. 

He is of the strong opinion that the prevailing climatic conditions of high temperature has caused poor flowering and has affected the yield. 

Another farmer from Curtorim said that the season started smoothly, but the sudden change in the weather resulted in a decrease in cashew yield. “We are hoping we see an increase in yield, so we can make a profit from feni production. Farmers like me who cultivate small swathes of cashew are totally dependent on the weather, and a change in climate makes a big difference to us,” he added. 

Meanwhile, Shariff Furtado, Salcete Zonal Agriculture Officer at Margao told O Heraldo that they have witnessed an unexpected fluctuation in climate this year, which has affected the cashew yield. “The temperature has gone up suddenly; this was not expected by the cashew farmers, who will be badly affected if the current climatic conditions continues to prevail for more days,” Furtado said worriedly.