PANJIM: The total cropped area for cultivation in Goa has been marginally declining over the years, gradually bringing down the agricultural produce.
In 2015-16, there were 1,56,462 hectares of land available for cultivation, ensuring 4,53,529 tonnes of produce, excluding coconut which was 129.35 (million nuts). In 2016-17, the amount of land available for cultivation was down to 1,54,721 hectares and production also fell to 4,48,557 tonnes excluding coconut which was 132.16 (million nuts).
In 2015-16, there were 41,344 hectares of land under paddy cultivation resulting in 1,72,602 tonnes of production but in 2016-17, the land available for paddy cultivation had dropped marginally to 40,823 hectares thus resulting in the produce falling to 1,69,842 tonnes.
“I will have to analyse the report of why the production has gone done. There are many factors such as land conversion for developmental projects or shifting from paddy farming to organic. It is a complete cycle,” an Agriculture department official said on the fall in paddy production.
Further the area under sugarcane production has gone down from 1,139 hectares in 2015-16 to 897 in 2016-17, bringing down the produce from 58,077 tonnes to 40,222 tonnes. Coconut and cashew nut produce is the only cultivation steady in its output with the land area under cultivation for the fruit also remaining stable over the years.
However, vegetable production has seen a slight increase. In 2015-16 there were 82,594 tonnes of produce over an area of 7,240 hectares while in 2016-17 vegetable production rose marginally to 84,823 tonnes cultivated on an area of 7,379 hectares.
Meanwhile, mango production has also seen a marginal rise. The year 2015-16 saw a mango produce of 5,958 tonnes over an area of 4,884 hectares while in 2016-17 the production went up to only 9,545 tonnes produced over an area of 4,920 hectares.
Commenting on the rise in mango production, an expert said, “This is an annual cycle, sometimes the production is low and high, and it fluctuates. The main reason for production to go down over the last few years is that of the climatic conditions which have changed drastically. The type of climate we have now in Goa was not there earlier. For example mornings are colder and afternoons are hotter.”
Groundnut production and the area of the land where it is grown have dramatically gone down thus decreasing the production. From 1,898 hectares and a produce of 4,035 tonnes in 2015-16, the area where groundnuts are produced has gone down to 1,689, yielding a produce at 3,972 tonnes.
