450 farmers mobilised in Bardez to boost vegetable output

NT NETWORK

Mapusa

Taking advantage of lockdown in view of COVID-19, Bardez zonal agriculture officer has encouraged around 450 farmers to come forward and take up vegetable cultivation to increase vegetable output in the taluka and meet the growing demand for the same.

Presently, due to lockdown, vegetable supplies from outside state have been disrupted. As a result, demand for local vegetables has increased and vegetable farmers have been doing a brisk business these days.

Bardez zonal agriculture office, led by Raghunath Joshi and his team, has been encouraging farmers to take up vegetable cultivation not only in the fields but also in small open spaces like the backyard of the house.

The office has created a WhatsApp group of farmers who are regularly kept updated on seeds, sampling of vegetables and other required data.

Initially around 250 farmers from different villages were approached by the office for cultivation of vegetables and this count has now gone up to 450 farmers who are growing different varieties of vegetables. 

Around 95 kilograms of vegetable seeds have been already distributed and more quantities of seeds are being procured by the department.

Seeds of vegetables like bhendi (lady finger), cluster bean, wal (long beans),  ash gourd, bitter gourd, brinjal, radish,  palak, shepu, bottle gourd, ridge gourd, red amaranth, chilli, cucumber, pumpkin are in demand which farmers have been cultivating.

The zonal agriculture officer for Bardez Raghunath Joshi said that under the guidance of agriculture minister and senior officials, vegetable cultivation has been encouraged due to less supply of vegetables from outside state and to make the state self sufficient.

“We have been working to increase vegetable production by encouraging more and more farmers to take up cultivation in the state,” said Joshi.

He further added that “around 450 farmers have been distributed seeds to take up cultivation of vegetables in the taluka.  Many of the farmers have taken up cultivation of vegetables like red amaranth, radish, lady finger etc.”

Joshi stated that since lockdown is going on, many people are at home who can take up cultivation of vegetables for household consumption.

 “We are happy to see that fields which were lying barren for last 4-5 years are now being cleared of weed for cultivation of paddy or vegetables,” added Joshi.

When asked about home garden concept, Joshi informed that “there are people who are taking up home gardening in the taluka. Out of 450 farmers, around 200 have taken up cultivation in their backyard or open space in their surroundings.”