Crops from the beach
The
land of sun, sand and sea offers a plethora of biodiversity, particularly
plantation crops and spices. If tapped correctly, Goa promises to
be the next agricultural hub of the country
Goa
is a small state in the western coastal area that comes under the
12th agroecological zone of the country, consisting of ghats and coastal
plain. Total cover area of the state is 3,61,113 ha of which cropped
area is 1,71,455 ha, whereas net sown area is 1,41,514 ha. Goa is
topographically divided into three parts namely, mountain and foot-hill
strip along the western sahyadri, middle strip of undulating terrain
with river valleys and the coastal belt having saline lands, backwaters,
estuaries and sea coast. Agro-ecological divisions of Goa are further
characterised by coastal strips which have hot, subhumid, large moisture
availability with a growing period of 210-240 days. Eastern Goa is
a continuity of the Sahayadri Hill range. The foot slopes of this
region touch Ponda, Sattari and the interiors of Canacona talukas
in the south. These ranges occupy about 33 per cent of the total area.
The mid undulating terrain consists of rivers and fertile valleys,
which are ideally suited for the cultivation of many horticultural
and commercial crops. About 70 per cent of Goa has laterite soil and
has a limited sandy loan soils restricted to the coast.
HORTICULTURAL POTENTIALS IN GOA
Though a small state, Goa has the immense potential for production,
post harvest and processing. In addition, it has the capacity to supply,
many horticultural commodities to local and outside markets. The crops
of commercial importance grown in Goa are cashew, mango, coconut,
areca nut, mushroom, and fruits like banana, pineapple, papaya and
sapota. Spices like black pepper, cinnamon, clove, ginger, turmeric
and vanilla along with many flowers and vegetables besides some of
the medicinal and aromatic plants are also cultivated. Indigenous
crops like kokum, orchids and jackfruits are unique to Goa and the
Konkan region. Cultivation of horticultural crops has great potential
for higher income earning capacity, employment generation and addition
to the overall Indian economy through export. Fruits and vegetables
have been shown to earn 20-30 times more foreign exchange per unit
area than cereals due to higher yields and higher price available
in the international market. Approximately the average labour requirement
for fruit production is 860 man-days per hectare per annum as against
143 man-days for cereal crops. Crops like grapes, bananas and pineapple
generate much larger employment roughly from 1000-2500 man-days per
hectare per annum.
AREA AND PRODUCTION OF DIFFERENT HORTICULTURAL CROPS IN GOA
Out of the total cultivable area of Goa, all horticultural crops occupy
about 47.18 percent. Hinter lands of Goa are covered by cashew cultivation
whereas coconut is found as homestead crop besides in bunds of rice
fields, waterways and uplands. Local vegetables, flowers and minor
fruits are seasonal commodities, homestead, rice fallow...
contd...
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