Saligao: Farmers in Saligao are facing severe distress after delays in the supply of harvesters led to rain damage and widespread crop loss during the current paddy season. Local cultivators say the problem stems from administrative lapses and poor management.
Paddy in the area was ready for harvest by 20 September, but farmers received only one harvester in early October instead of the usual three. The lone machine reportedly broke down after cutting a few fields, leaving most of the crop exposed to rain. Many farmers say they have suffered losses they cannot recover from.
Most cultivators in Saligao are marginal farmers with less than one acre of land. They are already burdened by high labour costs and low returns. The minimum support price stands at twenty one rupees per kilogram with an additional five rupees as subsidy, giving farmers about twenty six rupees per kilogram. In the market, the same rice sells for close to one hundred rupees, widening the gap between production cost and income.
Farmer groups and opposition leaders argue that the minimum support price must be raised to thirty four rupees per kilogram to ensure fair earnings for growers.
The Goa Congress Party and its allies have said they will press for compensation for crop losses, timely availability of harvesters and seeds, and stronger farmer focused policies aimed at rebuilding the state’s agricultural sector.
