MARGAO: This year the unseasonal rainfall and precautionary measures helped the farmers engaged in watermelon cultivation in Verna and surrounding villages in South Goa from the rindworm pest causing damage to watermelon fruits, as result more than hundred farmers are hoping to recover their losses caused during the last two years.
Farmers are however, waiting for the compensation, which was assured by the government in 2020.
Farmers have informed the Herald that their watermelon fields are safe this year from the rind worm pest causing damage to the watermelons. They said that unseasonal rainfall and precautions helped them to get rid of the worm pest.
On the other hand, many farmers claimed that none of them received any compensation for the losses they suffered for the last two years, despite assurance given by the Agriculture Minister Chandrakant alias Babu Kavlekar.
A large number of farmers from Verna, Nagoa, Majorda, and Utorda are engaged in seasonal watermelon cultivation and it’s the only source of livelihood for them. In 2020 a sudden breakout of a rare type of disease in watermelons had acutely affected the farming and the farmers had to bear heavy losses. This repeated in 2021, too.
Speaking to Herald, Minguel Pereira, a farmer from Verna said that this year there is not much damage caused to the watermelon crops.
“Yes, it is very much true that all the farmers engaged in the seasonal watermelon cultivation suffered huge losses for the last two years. Now, we have some ray of hope, as everything is going well with the crops,” said Pereira.
“We have not received any monetary compensation which was assured by the government to the farmers in Verna and Nagoa whose watermelon cultivations had been destroyed by worms,” claimed Minguel.
Jose Abranches, another farmer said, “There are more than hundred of farmers in Verna itself engaged in this watermelon cultivation, and we all sell nearly 250 to 300 watermelons per day, sitting at the roadside of Verna highway,” said Abranches.
