Round the year availability of Mankurad will be a reality soon-Director, ICAR

Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: Round the year availability of traditional Goan products like ‘Mankurad’ mango and Ready to eat livestock products like Goan sausage, shrimp/duck curry will be a reality soon, informed Director ICAR today. To make ‘Swayampurna Goa’ Indian Council of Agricultural Research has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla, to increase vegetable and fodder production. Director, ICAR, Shri Parveen Kumar, today interacted with the media about the various activities undertaken by ICAR.
Director Parveen Kumar informed that Goa is importing 320 tons of vegetables per day from neighbouring states.
After cultivating Vegetables and Potatoes in the state, the import will reduce drastically and make Goa self-reliant in the Agri sector. Five varieties of potato have been recommended for cultivation in the state.
Further, he said that 18,000 acre of ‘Khajan land’ (Saline water) will be used to cultivate various varieties of rice. ICAR is also working on harvesting the crops even in the rainy season and productive utilization of coastal saline soil.
Developing multi-enterprise models for the west and east coast to increase farmers’ income and diversification ensures regular income besides nutritional security.
To increase farmers’ income, farmers have been under training for backyard poultry and ornamental agriculture. ICAR with the innovative methods reaching out to the farmers. 7,000 farmers have been connected through WhatsApp groups by ICAR and getting real-time information on Weather. Thus, farmers are getting an additional income of 9 crores in 3 seasons by adopting the Agroadvisory services, said Shri Parveen Kumar.
Goa Cashew Fenni, Khola chilli and Myndoli Banana, developed by ICAR, received Geographical Indication (GI), and Goa pork sausage application for GI is underway.