Team Herald
MARGAO: The farmers of Chinchinim village were in a jubilant mood as they collected the harvest from the ‘Diguam Bhand’ fields on Monday. This was done in the presence of the locals, Chinchinim Agricultural Club, panchayat, Velim MLA Cruz Silva, Salcete Zonal Agricultural Officer (ZAO) Shariff Furtado, Fr George Quadros of Don Bosco and Chinchinim Sarpanch Valentino Barretto.
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The fields had been cultivated in two phases using mechanized transplanters. While the earlier one did not give a good yield due to paucity of rainfall, the latter gave a reasonably good yield despite that it was planted after a span of 20 years.
The fields were fertilized using precision drone technology using nano urea and spraying microdroplets of fertilizer on the leaves of the rice plant and avoiding the excess falling into the water. The same technology is used to control weeds. This is the first-time drone technology, an initiative of Don Bosco Unit, was used in Goa.
“Rice cultivation becomes unviable with the exponential rising cost of labour and devastation of the crop by cattle, luckily the Agricultural department has given subsidy to the Chinchinim Agricultural Club for fencing and the problemsolved, we are thankful for that, said Agnelo Furtado, the Chinchinim Comunidade President.
He added that the MLA with the help of Water Resources Department (WRD) Minister Subhash Shirodkar has started work on a ramp to lower the farm machinery into the field from higher ground.
Furtado further added that the Minister also promised water from the canal for’ Vaigan’ crop and that the vast area alongside the canal has now been cleared to plant fruit bearing trees. Furtado also stated that vacuum packed brown rice is being sold and that ensures the ease of transportation and has a longer storage life of one year.
