Goa intends to make agriculture more viable for sustainable development; FPOs to boost farming produce

Panaji, February 11: Viewing to make agriculture more viable for sustainable development of the sector, the Goa government intends to set up Farmer Producer Organisations as revealed by the Economic Survey Report 2019-20 tabled in the state Assembly on Tuesday.

 

"Value addition is another vital area which needs focus to achieve better value for the produce. FPOs will be set up by involving like-minded cultivators, self-help groups and farmers clubs' and proper guidance shall be imparted to them", said the report tabled in the House during the Budget session last week.

 

 

While Goa's priority is to make agriculture activity more viable for better cultivation economics and marketing of the produce with branding concept, the state is working on high density plantation of commercial crops, like mango and cashew with an aim to target export markets.

 

"As a policy decision, the state is now focussing on organic farming. For this, 10,000 hectare area will be converted into organic farming land by formation of 500 clusters (20 hectare each) in three years covering 12,000 farmers", the

report added.

 

Steps were also being taken for mechanised farming, the report said, signing off that 23 unemployed youth from Goa were sent to the Central Farm Machinery Training and Testing Institute in Madhya Pradesh for training in operations, safety and maintenance of agriculture machinery.