Team Herald
MARGAO: Farmers in Salcete taluka are expressing deep concern over the damage to their crops due to persistent and untimely rains, with reports of significant crop destruction surfacing from several areas. In a bid for relief, many are turning to the rain God, hoping for a break in the heavy downpour.
Despite these concerns, officials from the Agriculture Department remain optimistic, suggesting that the ongoing rains may not have as severe an impact on the crops as feared. This assessment, they believe, may offer some reassurance to the anxious farmers. However, farmers are reporting that crops nearing harvest are now at risk of further damage due to the relentless rains. Those who have already suffered losses during the paddy planting season fear that continued rains will wipe out what remains of their crops.
Many farmers in Salcete are grappling with the aftermath of heavy rains, which washed away newly sown paddy seeds and saplings, while also submerging sprouting crops. There is growing concern that these conditions may lead to rotting and more widespread damage.
“The fields have been inundated again, with persistent flooding wreaking havoc on our agricultural efforts. Many farmers who managed to save their paddy were now preparing for harvest, but the heavy rains have shattered our dreams of earning a livelihood,” lamented J. Santano Rodrigues, a farmer from Curtorim. He emphasised that the timing of the rains, coinciding with crucial harvesting preparations, will likely result in significant financial losses. Piedade Fernandes, another concerned farmer, echoed these fears, stating, “Once again, we are witnessing flooding in the fields. We hope the rains stop, or we will be left with nothing after all our hard work.”
Shariff Furtado, the Zonal Agricultural Officer (ZAO) at the Salcete taluka office, sought to ease these concerns by reassuring farmers that the rains are unlikely to significantly affect paddy crops ready for harvest. “I don’t think the rains will lead to losses for the farmers,” Furtado stated confidently, adding that many farmers have already received compensation for earlier losses during this season. “We have processed numerous claims made by farmers who reported losses due to heavy rains and flooding in their paddy fields,” Furtado noted, offering some hope to the farming community as they continue to monitor the situation.