Sanguem: Torrential rains and gusty winds that the state witnessed some days back have added to the damage, besides fungal infection, caused to areca nut crop in Sanguem with growers complaining of nearly 20-25 per cent loss due to premature dropping of the nuts.
Sanguem has nearly 600 hectares of land under areca nut crop with nearly 1,000 farmers involved in it. The farmers had barely recovered from the 2019 season wherein they had lost nearly 70 per cent of the crop to a deadly fungal infection.
This year, there has been a sharp decline in flowering and yield.
“The fungal infection can be avoided. The farmers should take up spraying of fungicide twice just before the monsoon and again after 45 days,” said zonal agriculture officer from Sanguem Gauri Prabhudessai.
However, there are farmers who have learnt from their past mistakes and carried out spraying thereby limiting their losses to just 5 per cent.
Areas of Rivona and Netravali are the worst affected. The zonal officer said that a team of agriculture officials have visited the farms to assess the situation and, as per the inspection carried out, farmers, who did not take measures against the crop diseases, have suffered up to 60 per cent losses while those who had taken all the steps have also suffered losses but it is primarily due to the heavy rain which was accompanied by strong winds.
Prabhudessai said that overall the losses are around 20-25 per cent of the total area under cultivation, and added that there is a drop in the crop yield this year.
When asked about the support price, the officer said the government has provided a support price of Rs 160 but the farmers are getting an impressive Rs 305 rate in the open market.
The areca nut is in high demand and farmers need to take preventive measures to protect the crop, she said.
Meanwhile, in Quepem, nearly 70 per cent of the areca nut crop has been destroyed.
Sources informed that a total of 200 hectares of land is under the crop with about 70 farmers directly engaged in growing and tending of the trees.
The sources informed that in Quepem, most of the losses are attributed to the fungal infection which is as high as 60 per cent.
