Panaji: Chief minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday assured that Goa govt would provide compensation for crop losses damaged due to scanty rainfall.The compensation would be released based on reports submitted by agriculture officials following field inspections, he said.“Agriculture department officials, including the zonal agriculture officer (ZAO) and other field staff shall conduct surveys to assess the extent of crop damage before submitting their findings to govt. Once the survey report is submitted, govt will process compensation for farmers based on the assessed losses,” Sawant said on the sidelines of an event here.Goa experienced its fourth consecutive day of a non-rainy day on Wednesday wherein the state recorded below 2.5mm rainfall, which is very unusual for the peak monsoon month of July.Agriculture director Chandrahas Desai told TOI that the prevailing dry spell across Goa has not caused widespread damage to paddy crops so far, but has affected around 2 hectares of transplanted paddy in Velsao due to moisture stress and salinity in the fields, resulting in damage to the transplanted crop.In an advisory issued to farmers, the agriculture department urged paddy farmers to adopt precautionary measures to minimise crop stress and reduce the risk of yield loss during the dry spell.Farmers with access to irrigation have been advised to provide protective irrigation to maintain adequate soil moisture. Those who have already completed transplantation should maintain a shallow water level of 2–5 cm in paddy fields wherever possible.The department has advised farmers who have not yet transplanted seedlings to postpone transplantation until adequate rainfall is received or irrigation becomes available. Strengthening field bunds has also been recommended to conserve available moisture and minimise water loss.The advisory also cautions that prolonged dry weather may favour certain pest infestations and diseases. Farmers have been asked to regularly monitor their fields and undertake timely plant protection measures as recommended by Agriculture Department officials.Farmers have been requested to remain in contact with their nearest Zonal Agriculture Office (ZAO) or Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) for technical guidance.Those planning to replant paddy using mechanised paddy transplanters have been advised to coordinate with registered transplanting service providers, subject to the availability of seedlings in paddy nurseries. The department also noted that paddy seed is available through authorised agricultural input dealers.In cases where crops suffer complete damage due to adverse weather conditions, farmers have been asked to report the losses to the nearest Zonal Agriculture Office for consideration under the Shetkari Adhar Nidhi Scheme, subject to the provisions of the scheme.
