Goa to ammend Revenue Act to encourage contract farming for cashew

Panaji, Mar 11 (UNI) In a bid to meet increasing export market demands for organic products, the Goa government is contemplating on ammending the Revenue Act suitably to encourage ''contract farming'' on fallow lands, according to State's Development Commissioner J K Dadoo.

This step will be more helpful to horticulture crops like cashew, mango and flowers, which acount for 119,000 tonnes of agrucultural produce of the state every year.

Speaking about Goa's scenario at farmers' meet in the ''Cashew Mahotsav-2006'' here today, Mr Dadoo said the State planned to double its cashew production within the next five years with several efforts underway under the National Horticulture Mission.

Fallow lands, comprising 30,000 hectares of abondoned land with mine dumps could be used for this purpose by restoring soil fertility besides saving ecology and boosting revenue of farmers, he added.

The government plans to come out with a model Agricultural Producers Market Committee (APMC) Act, which will enable producers to directly contact processors to sell their products thus eliminating the middle men. The cess would now be collected at the mandis, he said.

Mr Dadoo said the state is ready to offer Rs 11,250 subsidy per hectare along with free graftings to raise new cashew crop besides offering Rs 15,000 per hectare for rejuvenating the senile plantations.

The government envisages to raise cashew plantations in at least 3,000 hectares from next year and also plans to encourage organic farming by offering a subsidy of Rs 10,000 per hectare besides Rs five lakh per 50 hectares, towards certification costs of exports.

Presently high-density farming of cashew is being done with 600 plants per hectare which yield 2500 kg per hectare in some areas.

There are plans to extend it to more areas, Mr Dadoo said.

The government has also identified two cashew farmer societies to train farmers in rejuvenating senile plantations. The government is planning to spend Rs 3 crores on reviving 3,000 hectares of the crop's plantations in three years, and 14,000 hectares in next five years using the services of the self-help groups.

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