Goemkarponn desk
PONDA: If the Government wants to revive the paddy cultivation, then the Government and its officials need to understand the ground level, the farmers have said.
Every year there has been a decline in paddy cultivation, with most of the paddy fields are now kept fallow for various reasons, including the high cost of paddy cultivation and incase of natural calamity, including heavy rains, farmers suffer major losses.
Some two decades ago, most Ponda taluka farmers were seen in their fields engaged in paddy cultivation activities, growing bumper crops; however, in recent years, there has been a rising tendency among farmers who are seen keeping their paddy fields fallow.
The officials at Ponda Zonal Agriculture Office confirmed that around fifty per cent of paddy fields are kept fallow. The officials said Government provides several schemes, including types of machinery at a subsidized rate.
However, according to farmers, though there are government schemes, many difficulties are arising before them in recent times.
They keep paddy fields fallow due to plenty of difficulties.
One Bandora farmer who cultivates his paddy with traditional farming says it is now easy with government schemes, subsidies, and modern machinery.
“The hard work required is reduced; however, those schemes need to reach farmers,” he said.
According to Sandesh Naik, at Priol, officials should reach farmers in villages and understand their problems.
Entry of saline water, heavy rains for the past few years also hit the farming activities.
He said there has to be awareness and encouragement to local farmers and the young generation, and this effort should be made by the Government.
He said mechanized farming is not possible at all places due to various reasons.
Some farmers cant get Krishi cards due to land ownership issues.
Further, in the past, there was community farming in the vast track of field with individual farmers having a small piece of it, and all used to cultivate, but now many farmers do not come forward due to various reasons and as a result, despite having individual interest farmers can’t do farming as it involves fencing to the entire field which once was done by efforts of all farmers.
Further, many vast Khajan fields are located along the side river in case of breach of bandaras, it is not feasible to bear the cost of repairs as not all farmers come for cultivation.
He also pointed out that most farmers’ children are now doing government jobs since more than a decade ago. They feel shy to go and work in the field. One elderly farmer at Kavlem said his son doing a government job and had no interest in farming.
He said he is interested in continuing the traditional paddy cultivation. He and senior farmers want paddy cultivation, but their old age does not permit them.
Another farmer said the high cost of labourers is another problem.
“We have to rely on migrant labour force and paying high wages not affordable to us. Further, when damages are caused by heavy rains, wild animals, cattle, etch farmers get very little compensation compared to the money invested in cultivation,” he said.
The farmers at Kundaim say Local MLA Sudin Dhavlikar helps them in cultivation, but due to breach of bandaras and entry of saline and heavy rains, their paddy crop has been damaged for the last two years.
At Talavalim and Agapur, the paddy fields are encroached by mangroves, and now it is difficult to take farming activities.
