Team Herald
PORVORIM: The BJP-led government has decided to redraft the Goa Agriculture Policy with the focus on branding farm produce from the State as “Born in Goa” giving it an edge in marketing.
Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardesai said that the thrust area of the policy would be floriculture, organic and bio-organic farming and marketing the brand Goa.
“The policy should not be a mere policy. I suggest there should be a brand for farm produce. It could be called ‘Born in Goa’. Such kind of branding will help certify that the vegetable, fruit or flower is produced in Goa. We will have a special market for them,” Sardesai said.
The minister, who has been holding a series of talks with farmers, said the, “The earlier draft policy prepared by MP Narendra Sawaikar was good but not good enough. We will rework entirely on the policy and come up with a new one within one year.”
Sardesai said that during interactions with farmers he came across various difficulties they face due to inadequate storing facilities. “Turmeric which is produced in Canacona taluka was sold at mere Rs 7 per kilogram while its actual market price is Rs 70. This is because they had no storage capacity,” he said.
Without elaborating on the policy details, Sardesai said, “We should give preferential treatment to vegetables from Goa. We are a tourism State and hence we can ask the five-star hotels to purchase the farm products produced in Goa.” The minister said he will also order State Horticulture Corporation to sell local produce on priority through their outlets.
Sardesai said the government has also given a push to mechanised farming. “There is lot of progress on the front of mechanised farming but I am not happy with it,” he said.
Since 2012, the agriculture draft policy has been in limbo in the absence of a committee to approve it. Though a committee was formed in 2012 under the chairmanship of Sawaikar it virtually ceased to exist after he was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2014. The committee was not reconstituted despite several reminders from the Agriculture Department.
