Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: Government data indicates that the State’s net paddy/rice production has significantly increased since 2021, reflecting the positive impact of the farming boom that followed the economic disruption caused by the Covid pandemic in Goa.
Rice production in the State rose by 9,462 MT in 2023–24 compared to 2022–23, according to Agriculture Minister Ravi Naik.
However, the three talukas of Tiswadi, Sattari, and Dharbandora have seen a decline in their paddy output even as the overall production of rice, or paddy, has increased.
Venzy Viegas, the Benaulim MLA for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), posed an unstarred question to Naik, who responded with this information to the Goa Legislative Assembly.
The total amount of rice produced in North Goa during the previous year (2022–2023) was 57,712 metric tonnes. In 2023–2024, it rose by 2,399 MT to 60,111 MT.
In 2022–2023, 74,882 MT of rice were produced in South Goa. In 2023–24, the same rose by 7,063 metric tons to 81,945 metric tons, as per the data that the Minister of Agriculture presented.
In contrast to the previous year, the talukas of Tiswadi, Sattari, and Dharbandora have reported a decrease in rice production in 2023–24.
Bardez produced 17,431 metric tonnes in 2022–2023 and 18,042 metric tonnes in 2023–2024, an increase of 611 metric tonnes. 2,116 metric tonnes more were recorded in Pernem, 978 in Bicholim, 162 in Ponda, and 687 in Sanguem. The production of paddy increased by 4,660 tonnes in Sanguem and 967 tonnes in Quepem.
