TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said that Kole Roga or immature nut fall in Areca nut was a fungal disease that was prevalent in coastal high rainfall regions and the prevalence of this disease increased due to heavy and continuous rainfall.
Replying to a calling attention motion by MLA Subhash Phaldesai, he said that he had given direction to Zonal Agricultural officers to survey the damage caused to see if any help could be given to cultivators.
“This is a onetime help,” he said, replying to the motion that said raised the issue of “Apprehension and anxiety in the minds of Areca nut farmers as they are facing a tough time due to disease by name ‘KOLE ROGA.’ which is widely spread in areca palms in Sanguem and Quepem taluka, which has affected the areca nut crops of nearly 500 farmers. Nearly 200 tons of areca nuts have fallen causing loss of approximately Rs 1.5 crore in Sanguem Constituency alone. Similar losses are expected in the other parts of Goa.
