Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Goa’s paddy yields during the 2024-25 Kharif season have witnessed a sharp decline, with the average yield per hectare dropping by nearly one tonne. Agriculture officials attribute the decrease to the heavy rains and subsequent flooding that affected low-lying khazan fields across the state in July and August of last year.
Official figures show that the total paddy output in the Kharif season fell by approximately 15,000 tonnes. Directorate of Agriculture officials explained that the severe rainfall during the monsoon submerged many standing crops, particularly in the low-lying areas, resulting in significant crop damage.
Paddy was cultivated on about 23,000 hectares during the 2023-24 Kharif season, a slight increase of around 423 hectares compared to the previous year. Despite the increase in cultivation area, the overall output decreased by 15,000 tonnes, and the per hectare yield dropped from 4,335 kgs in 2023-24 to 3,257 kgs in 2024-25, a decline of nearly 1,078 kgs per hectare.
The agriculture department’s data reveals that approximately 459 hectares of paddy fields were damaged due to flooding caused by the heavy rains. Bardez taluka suffered the most, with 161 hectares affected, and farmers here received the highest compensation.
Following Bardez, Salcete experienced damage to 66 hectares, while 49 hectares were lost in Ponda. In Bicholim, 49 hectares were affected as well, while Canacona, which typically has fewer low-lying fields, saw only 6 hectares impacted.
Authorities are working to assist farmers in recovering from the damage caused by the monsoon and to mitigate future risks.
