Goa:Rice production in state records rise during last fiscal despite lower seed distribution

Rice production in Goa for the 2023-24 season has seen an increase, reaching 94,611 metric tonnes compared to 88,400 metric tonnes in the previous fiscal year. The data was revealed by the minister for agriculture, Ravi Naik, in response to a legislative assembly question on Wednesday.The data also reveals an overall increase in rice production across both kharif and rabi seasons. For the kharif season of 2023-24, production reached 67,698 metric tonnes, compared to 62,956 metric tonnes in 2022-23. Similarly, the rabi season saw an increase to 26,913 metric tonnes, up from 25,444 metric tonnes in the previous year.
Despite the significant decrease in seed distribution, the increase in rice production denotes higher yields.
In the 2022-23 season, a total of 15,910kg of paddy seeds were distributed to farmers. For the 2023-24 season, seed distribution was notably reduced to 3,495kg. Farmers received 2,045kg of Goa Dhan-3, 100kg of Goa Dhan-1, and 1,350kg of the Jyoti variant.

The taluka-wise data indicates a generally positive trend in paddy productivity across Goa during the kharif season.
Pernem saw the most significant increase in productivity in 2023-24, rising to 4,830kg/ha from 4,442kg/ha in 2020-21. Mormugao also reported notable growth, with productivity increasing to 4,400kg/ha from 2,817kg/ha in 2020-21.

Canacona also experienced a substantial increase to 4,589kg/ha, up from 4,021kg/ha in the same period. Dharbandora saw a decline in productivity to 3,768 kg/ha from 4205 kg/ha the previous fiscal year.

During the rabi season, Bicholim reported significant productivity of 4,946kg/ha, up from 4,912kg/ha in 2020-21, in addition to Salcete rising to 4,606kg/ha, up from 4,055kg/ha and Quepem experiencing an increase to 4,441kg/ha from 3,039kg/ha.

Tiswadi, Dharbandora and Mormugao showed a decline in rice productivity in the rabi months.

This article has been republished from The Times of India.